The Lagos State PDP governorship candidate, Dr Abdul-Azeez Adediran, on Saturday apologised to the party’s leaders and elders as he met them for strategies for victory in the 2023 general elections.
Adediran, popularly known as ‘Jandor’ in company with his running mate, Funke Akindele, met with the party’s chieftains in Ikeja to update them on his campaign ward tours in the state.
Speaking during the opening session before going into closed-door, the candidate, who described the meeting as parents-children interaction, apologised to the leaders for delaying such a meeting, saying it was long overdue.
According to him, it is does not rudeness to disrespect to them that the meeting is just holding.
“In our own thinking as your children, we thought we should be the first to carry the load by going to various wards to engage stakeholders before holding this meeting.
“I want to thank you for conceding the party tickets to us but we know you did this because of the faith you have in this state, and believe that next election should be the time of PDP.
“It is not strange that there are reactions in the party on certain issues but how can we stabilise the party for the purpose of where we are going? I believe this is what you put ahead of all misgivings, hence your presence here.
“What we consider key after the primary is to reach out to the electorate who would vote. When we have them in a huge number, what the party would do will be little. That is where we see a huge job, hence our concentration on grassroots engagements,” he said
Adediran, who called for the understanding and cooperation of party chieftains, said that party’s electoral victory should be more paramount to leaders above all schisms.
Expressing a strong belief that the APC reign in Lagos state would not be forever, Adediran said that the PDP’s victory in the state is imminent and would be witnessed and celebrated by leaders, who had suffered and persevered over years for the party.
“This forthcoming year is the time for us to win to end all the reproaches and names’ calling over your continued stay in the party.
“I want to beg you to be more concerned about the enthronement of the PDP. This prize we are looking at is yours.
“I want to appeal to you, if we have one or two persons in the party, either in our community or group, as elders, let us go to them and appease to them.
“Also, as elders if anyone offends us, let us call them and beg them and tell them that what is ahead requires our collective collaboration for us to see the gains,” he said.
Adediran said that both he and his deputy, Funke Akindele, were very young and could not be perfect or wiser than the elders.
He called for forgiveness from party leaders anywhere he had offended them by not reaching out enough.
Adediran, who noted that there was no party without its internal rancor after the primary, urged party leaders to forget the past, face elections and see how to mobilise votes.
He said that if offences protracted, elections would come and meet the party unawares.
Adediran, who explained that his campaign team had toured 119 of the 245 wards in the state meeting all stakeholders, said Akindele had visited several markets to solicit votes for the party.
“We believe at the end of the day, these are people that can give us the votes we need. We have been doing all these. I have come to report to you that this is how far we have gone.
“We want all of us to be together. We must all have understanding. Everyone has a stake in this project and must be carried along. All we are hearing and seeing in our tours has shown that PDP is ready to win,” he said.
Clearing issues on his choice of Akindele as deputy, Adediran said that it was not premeditated or influenced by anyone but based on God’s direction and leading.
