….Says Party Will Take Over Lagos
Chairman of the Lagos State Presidential Campaign Council of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Engr. Deji Doherty has urged Nigerians to return the party to power at the Federal level and take over power in the state.
Doherty, who spoke on Friday at the inauguration of the campaign council at Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos, said that the nation is now at the threshold of another era of epochal journey to a very challenging election season.
“The threshold on which we as members of the great Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State are gathered here now, as I will like to view it, is a stark reminder to us all that our party has for the past seven and a half years been kept out of government at the centre, and we need to work very hard in conjunction with other PDP state chapters to return our party to power at the federal level, for the good of our country and the Nigerian people.
“Another very critical reminder of today’s event is that we as a party has since the beginning of the current democratic dispensation in 1999, we’ve missed governing our dear Lagos State, making us unfortunately the only state chapter in the South West that has not governed the state.
“The challenge before us today, therefore, is to work hard and reverse the electoral misfortunes that I have called your attention to.
“We must make a difference in the Lagos State chapter and win the state for our great party in the forthcoming 2023 general elections.
“Today, we are witnessing the inauguration of the twin-structure of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) and the Presidential Campaign Management Committee (PCMC).
“I wish to state that it is the resolve of myself as Chairman of the council, our energetic governorship candidate, Dr. Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran a.k.a Jandor, who will be serving on the council as Vice Chairman, and the State Director of the Presidential Campaign Management Committee, Chief Atolagbe Animashaun, together with other reputable and well experienced leaders that we have as deputy directors on the critical assignment of managing the campaign and electioneering activities to galvanise the party towards winning all our elections in the state come February/March 2023,” he said.
Doherty stressed that the party is very much aware of the “acrimonious political environment currently being promoted by the ruling APC in Lagos State, where they’ve taken as their strategic design to start intimidating members of the public that they especially suspect are the strongholds of the PDP in Lagos, and those they know will traditionally reject their candidates because of their obvious corrupt and exploitative approach to governance.”
He however, said such crude approach will not work for them this time around.
Speaking further, Doherty said that the PDP would “methodically address their shenanigans as we ignore their gang of violent supporters and focusing our campaigns on the electorate.
“We will offer succour to the oppressed people of Lagos State on whose necks the APC goons have been kneeling since their Lord and Master unfortunately seized the governance of the state in 1999.”
He noted that the PDP was offering to Lagosians the best combinations for the 2023 Presidential/Vice Presidential candidates.
Doherty said that both Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa are pan-Nigerian, adding that they are very well experienced, resourceful and healthy.
“I make bold to say they are way ahead of anyone being paraded by the other parties, and will get to work immediately they become elected at the February 25, 2023 general elections.
“We make a clarion call to the people of Lagos State today that the time has come to free themselves from the shackles of the Bola Tinubu dynasty that has been draining their blood through successive governments in the state. It is time to say “Enough is Enough” to the APC by voting for all the candidates of the PDP in the 2023 elections.
“Let me, on behalf of myself and my colleagues, appeal to all leaders and members to close ranks and come together for the great task at hand.
“It is an undeniable fact that we have hurt one another in one form or another, and some of us have suffered certain losses; the consequences of which we are yet to totally put behind us.
“I want to say that the leadership of our party in the state share your pains and therefore, I want to humbly appeal to all aggrieved members, including our aspirants in court, for more sacrifices to the party.
“I know that for some of us who feel badly hurt, it is not an easy option considering the far length that you’ve gone, but I say with my head bowed that you can do it to show greater love for our party,” he said.
