….Donates N5 Million To Victims
The Governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, Dr. Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran, (Jandor), has said that the incessant fire incidents in markets across the state would become a thing of the past under his government.
Jandor, who spoke during a visit to the Akere Spare Market in Apapa area of Ajeromi Ifelodun on Thursday, said that the incident is a proof that some people were hell bent on making life difficult for traders in the state.
The Governorship Candidate also donated a sum of N5 Million to the traders to ameliorate their loss in the fire incident, while promising to rebuild the market if he is elected as Governor in the 2023 election.
Recall that Akere Motor Spare Parts market went up in flames in the early hours of Wednesday March 8, 2023, when some suspected hoodlums reportedly invaded the market and set it on fire after killing the security man on guard.
“I want to assure you that by His grace, after this coming Saturday election, we will now have a government that would protect everybody irrespective of where he came from.
“Enough of all of these co-ordinated attacks on people. It’s unfortunate that some people would put themselves together and what they do for livelihood is to take the means of livelihood of other people.
“It’s so ungodly and this has been going on for so long because the government of the day is protecting them.
“The battle that is before us is not just to go out and cast our votes, it’s also a spiritual war, we will call on God to come and prevail. I can tell you for free that this is not an accident, it is a coordinated attack.
“By the time I assume office as the Governor of Lagos State, we will bring these people to justice. All of them would be brought to book and I would parade them. I commiserate with you. Don’t nurse any fear, Lagos is your home, this is where you live, you pay taxes and levies here, your children are here.
“I know anytime each of you visits home, whether Umuahia or Anambra, Nnewi or Ilah in Delta State, the next thing the people would ask you is when are you going back, which means this is your place and we will do everything to protect you,” he said.
Jandor stressed that the services of a soothsayer were not needed for the people to know that those that are ruling the state are from somewhere else.
He said if someone owns a house and some people decide to bring prosperity into the house, then they should be welcomed rather than being hated.
He said; “this is the way I am seeing it as an aborigine, I can say that all the wealth that we have in Lagos State today are contributed by Igbo people in Alaba, Aspanda, Trade Fair, everywhere, including Ladipo Market.
“If you now have people that have brought prosperity into your house, it is commonsensical that the next thing to do is to protect them.
“The people that are harassing you in all your markets are not from here. So, Jandor is a Lagosian of the first class.
“We are going to protect everybody irrespective of where you are from and we will make sure there is ease of doing business.
“Containers are bringing goods for you and there are tolls everywhere, it is because the government of the day wants it, I would put a stop to it. What I want us to do is to create a WhatsApp platform containing everybody who has a shop here, if anybody says anything between now and tomorrow it might not happen.
“By the time we get into office, because I am going to win this election by the grace of God, I will make sure that nobody here loses his or her shop.
“We will rebuild them and return them to the owners without collecting any money. Their plan is to come and take it over, which was why they did this. I am from Mushin proper and they know.
“Just be rest assured, we are not just going to vote to make a statement, we have done that with that of Peter Obi of Labour Party, but now we want to have our way and push them out to get into office.
“I would go round now and see the level of damages, just be rest assured of our support. As we speak, I want to support you with N5 Million. This is not just promise, it will enter before I leave here today.”
Jandor however, appealed to the security agencies to step-up their game, saying that there had been too many fire incidents in the state lately.
He called on the Commissioner of Police, and all the police formations in the state to step-up their game.
On the election, he said that the people will protect themselves, and called on them to go out to vote, saying that there are arrangements for security to protect them in the election, both through conventional and unconventional methods.
“We are the unconventional, we will protect ourselves and our votes. We are calling on all the police formations to come out and make sure that people’s will count this time and we are going to get it right.
“Everybody has a right to vote for whoever he wants. They should stop harassing people, if you have done well, you don’t need to harass anybody, just leave them to take their decisions.
“This time, we are going to vote that candidate that we can trust, that we know can protect and secure us.
“This is what is going to happen in this election. We have to provide succour, people are supposed to be making ends meet for themselves, but unfortunately, it’s been cut short, how do you want them to live?
“We have to support ourselves since the government is not ready to support us, we will find a way of supporting ourselves and see how we can come together and be our brother’s keeper, this is what we have done in the interim,” he said.
Speaking in an interview, Chairman of Akere Motor Spare Parts Market, Mr.. Izuchukwu Ubah said that the hoodlums were at the market last week Thursday to attack them and that the security man called and told him about the attack.
Ubah said that he called the DPO of the police station in the area, who he said responded to his call.
“The hoodlums came with four motorbikes, and small bus fully loaded. They were 12 in number and they wore masks with guns.
“They shot my security man, but they couldn’t operate that day, and they ran away. But by 2:30 am on Wednesday, they came again and I received a call from the security man, who said that the same people had come again and that they came in large number.
“They started shooting guns to scare people away. They shot the security man dead. We are very happy for the money Jandor gave us. May God give him power to win the election because he is a man of the people. He gave us this money to help ourselves, may God bless him,” he said.
Adeniran, in another interactive session with the leaders of Trinity Market Association in Apapa Ajegunle area, commended the spare parts dealers for always supporting the PDP.
He said that it was commonsensical to protect Igbos in the state because of their Investments and for adding to the prosperity of the state.
“I will protect you and protect your businesses. I understand what it is. I will repair roads in this area. It is your time to shine.
“On March 18, come out to vote for the PDP, we will secure you and your votes both convention and unconventional.
“What we want is to have a government that we can call our own. Nobody will harass, you, we must win,” he said.
Earlier, the Chairman of the association, Chief Emenike Ugwu, who described Adediran as a very young, promising and vibrant candidate, assured the candidate of the group’s support in the forthcoming Governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections.
Also speaking, Chief Edwin Udebuani, the Patron of the association, who noted that the area remained a traditional PDP environment, said,” Don’t forget this place when you get there. We are going to give you our votes. We believe it is your time.
