Politics
I Would Have Defeated Sanwo-Olu But For Obi Effect – Jandor
Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, has said that but for the “Peter Obi effect”, he would have defeated Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the 2023 governorship election.
Jandor, then-candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, stated this on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Tuesday.
“The 2023 election came with this Tsunami that nobody ever expected and it was there for everybody to see,” he said, stating that after Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) won the February 2023 presidential election in Lagos, the dynamics changed against the PDP for the governorship poll that was conducted weeks after.
For the governorship election, the electoral umpire INEC declared incumbent governor Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner. He polled a total of 762,134 votes, defeating LP’s Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour who scored 312,329 votes, followed by Jandor with 62,449 votes.
At the presidential election which was held earlier, Obi defeated APC’s Bola Tinubu in Lagos State. Obi polled 582,454 votes to trounce the strongman of Bourdillon who scored 572,606 votes, PDP’s Atiku Abubakar who got 75,750 votes, and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) who polled 8,442.
However, Jandor said the election came with peculiar dynamics. “Before the February 25th general election, we were on the streets of Lagos and the ruling party was nowhere to be found. We had several debates and he (Sanwo-Olu) didn’t show up and he did say he didn’t want to share a stage with me,” he said.
“The 2023 election came with its dynamics, and it was a two-horse race until the presidential election. If you look at what happened in the presidential election, Peter Obi came first (in Lagos), Asiwaju came second, and Atiku came third.
“The moment that happened, there was this belief that if we do this, we can get this state off XYZ. So, we were victims of that.
“Each time I address my people, I tell them: look, we did everything but that wave came and swallowed the whole thing; nobody saw that coming.”
He said if not for the Peter Obi effect, “I probably would have won the election” at the governorship level, adding that he believed that it wasn’t God’s time yet for him to become Lagos governor at the time.
Jandor’s political history started with APC before he left the party with his Lagos4Lagos Movement, a bloc within the ruling party in 2022. He joined the PDP before the 2023 election and emerged governorship candidate in Lagos.
He, however, dumped the PDP recently after he accused some leaders of the party of sabotaging him. “We were waiting to see if the party at the national level governed by the constitution of the party would look into the provisions of that constitution and say that for engaging in anti-party activities openly, this is the sanction.
“We waited patiently for two years and see whether that would happen, instead of that, the same person was appointed Vice Chairman, Disciplinary Committee by the national,” he said.
Jandor, however, said he would consider joining any of the available parties to realise his 2027 governorship dream.
The Northern Nigeria Youths Union (NNYU), has promised to garner over two million votes for President Bola Tinubu during the 2027 General Elections.
The Chairman of the union, Abubakar Aliyu, discussed this on Wednesday shortly after the conclusion of a major meeting held in Jos, Plateau.
“We are speaking after the conclusion of a large gathering of young men and women who have committed themselves to contributing to the journey of Tinubu.
“This is after seeing how he is implementing a myriad of developmental projects across the country, especially in the Northern parts of Nigeria,” Aliyu said in a statement issued to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna.
The chairman, who is also the Galadiman Takai, cited Tinubu’s recent inauguration of the construction of the Abuja to Kaduna to Kano Highway.
Aliyu said, “This is a road that has three lanes on each side, which will attract more developments to the North and the entire country.”
He also referenced the phenomenal decline in the prices of food stuffs during just-concluded Ramadan’ fast, averring, “everyone glaringly witnessed this feat.
“The prices of various goods had also nosedived and even the price of fuel had reduced significantly.
“We in our organisation, the Northern Nigeria Youth Union, assure the president that when the election comes, we will give him more than two million votes.”
Aliyu stated that the union had registered members, Muslims and Christians, all volunteers in each of the 19 Northern states.
He added, “It is is not that we were given money from somewhere, we are just volunteers with patriotism.
“Considering our large membership, when the elections are held, we will also attract the attention of many people to cast their votes for Tinubu.
” Therefore, with a large membership of over 65,000 people, and the efforts we will make to get people with voter’s cards, will ensure that we generate the votes for Tinubu.
“This is a guarantee that this will indeed be done.”
The chairman, however, called on Tinubu to ensure that all his political appointees were closely monitored.
“This call becomes necessary so that the people could be properly cared for as per the constitutional provisions,”Aliyu explained.(NAN)
Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has announced a ban on night grazing and restricted the use of motorcycles across the state following incessant attacks.
In a state broadcast on Wednesday, Mutfwang described the attacks as “coordinated acts of terror” aimed at displacing residents and undermining their right to exist peacefully on their ancestral lands.
The governor also prohibited the transportation of cattle by vehicles after 7pm.
He said the directives take immediate effect, with the restriction on motorcycle use in place from 7pm to 6am across the state until further notice.
“The tragic echoes of Dogo Na Hawa, Riyom, Barkin-Ladi, Mangu, and the Christmas Eve massacres in Bokkos remain vivid. The cycle continues, but it must not endure. Enough Is Enough,” the governor said.
“As your governor, I stand resolved — Plateau shall not be overrun by fear, nor shall we accept this culture of bloodshed as the new normal.
“My administration is intensifying efforts to protect our people and enforce the rule of law across all local governments.
“I hereby announce the following measures, effective Wednesday, April 16: Night grazing of cattle is strictly prohibited; transportation of cattle by vehicle is banned after 7pm.
“The use of motorcycles is restricted from 7pm to 6am across the state until further notice.”
By Abubakar Yunusa
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar reaffirmed his commitment to building a coalition of opposition political parties ahead of the 2027 election.
Atiku spoke on at a meeting with a delegation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Nasarawa state, led by Alhaji Jibirin Sabo Keana, and members of National Opinion Leaders, headed by Yusuf Sheriff Banki.
“Yesterday, I met with a delegation of two groups, during which I briefed them about the status of the pan-Nigerian coalition that I am building in conjunction with other leaders and stakeholders across political divides and regions,” Atiku wrote on X.
“I informed them that the Nigerian Movement is being powered by Nigerians desirous of reclaiming and rebuilding their country from across the nooks and crannies of our country.
“Indeed, the Coalition Train has left the station and would have multiple stops to bring on board Nigerians of all shades. First was the meeting with a delegation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Nasarawa State, led by Alhaji Jibirin Sabo Keana, and a delegation of National Opinion leaders, led by Yusuf Sheriff Banki.”
Atiku also warned them against being distracted by minor financial offers that could jeopardise their future.
He said leaders from various parties, including the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and others, have been meeting to forge a new path towards a better Nigeria.
He referred to the initiative behind the coalition as “Sabuwar tafiya” in Hausa, translating to “a new pathway” in English.
The PDP presidential candidate in 2023 expressed optimism about announcing the coalition soon and appealed to the public to join the movement.
“Now, because of that, that’s why a number of us leaders from the parties I have mentioned — APC, PDP, Labour, and others — have come together to say we are going to have what I call in Hausa Sabuwar tafiya, which in English means a new path, a new pathway to a new Nigeria,” he added.
“And we have been meeting, and by the grace of God, very soon we will announce. We hope and we appeal to you all to be part of this movement.
“Whatever vehicle that will give us good governance in the future of our children and grandchildren, that is the vehicle we are going to ride on.
”Get to planning and working together and getting as many Nigerians as possible to get converted to this new pathway.”
On Monday, governors elected on the platform of the PDP ruled out the possibility of coalition or merger with any political party ahead of the 2027 elections.