The Lagos chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has directed its governorship candidate in the 2023 election, Dr. Abdul-Azeez Adeniran popularly known as Jandor, to immediately withdraw and apologise for claiming the headship of the party in the state.
Jandor, during a political meeting on Sunday in Lagos, said he remains the leader of the party in the state.
He also called some leaders of the party who declared their support for another party’s candidate in the election to leave Lagos PDP.
But in a statement by Lagos PDP chairman, Phillip Aivoji, the party said such claim was mere falsehood, divisive and an affront to the constitution of PDP in the state, meant to mislead unsuspecting members of the public.
The statement reads in parts: “The attention of the State Executive members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to the publication in the Vanguard newspaper of Sunday, March 10, 2024, where Dr. Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adeniran ( Jandor), the gubernatorial candidate of our party in the last general elections, was quoted to have said he remains the apex leader of Lagos PDP.
“We will like to put it on record that the PDP is a political party governed by the rule of law and the party constitution remains supreme in the operation of the party where the Lagos state chapter derives its authority and there is nowhere in the constitution of the party where leadership is conferred on any candidate of the party.
“Therefore, the statement ascribed to Jandor is a falsehood, divisive and an attempt to mislead unsuspecting members of the party in the state and the public at large.
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“The State Chairman of the party remains the leader of the party in Lagos State and section 22 of the party constitution is sacrosanct on the establishment and composition of the party state caucus and there is nowhere the candidate of the party is mentioned as a member of such leadership position.
“This is important in order to put the record straight and to enlighten loyal members of the party on the leadership composition and operation of the party in Lagos state. Also, no section of the party constitution confers on any individual or group to expel any member of the party as this power resides only in the State Executive Council and the NWC.
“The Lagos state executive members found the statement as an affront and casting of aspersion on their personalities and the position they hold in the party and will therefore urge Dr. Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran to withdraw the statement and apologise for making such.
“While the Lagos State chapter of our party holds all our present and former members of the BOT, NWC, NEC and national leadership of the party in high esteem, it won’t condone any attempt by any member to cast aspersion on their personalities.
“We wish to inform our teeming members in the state that the leadership of the party is working assiduously to ensure that all aggrieved members of the party are placated and reconciled to enable the party rebuild the confidence the good people of Lagos state has in us that gave the party elected members into both the State Assembly and the House of Representatives prior to the last general elections when all was lost.
“It is also important to warn unscrupulous leaders and members of the party, who have continued to constitute nuisance within the party and causing dis-affection through misinformation, rumours and casting of aspersion on the leadership of the party in the state, to henceforth desist from such for the benefit and growth of our dear party.”
Source:The nation