Politics

Jandor’s Campaign: PDP, APC Trade Blames Over Surulere Attacks

Published

3 years ago

January 28, 2023

The PDP and APC in Lagos State have disagreed over the alleged attacks on the campaign train of the PDP Governorship Candidate, Dr Abdul-Azeez Adediran (Jandor), in the Surulere Local Government Area of the state.

Recall that Adediran’s campaign train had been reportedly attacked by political thugs in Badagry, Ikorodu, Agege, Kosofe and Surulere, leaving some of his followers wounded and vehicles smashed.

It was also reported that the attack on Friday in Surulere was the third attack in succession where suspected hoodlums were said to have fired guns and destroyed some of the campaign vehicles in Adediran’s convoy.

Subsequently, the Lagos State PDP Publicity Secretary, Mr Hakeem Amode, in statement on Saturday, described the Surulere attack on Adediran’s team as “repugnant to the deepening of democracy in Lagos“.

Amode, who is also the Chairman, Media, and Publicity, JandorFunke 2023 Governorship Campaign, said that the attacks were “clear evidence of APC high-handedness and imperialism rule”.

According to him, the alleged APC sponsored thugs in Surulere LGA unleashed violence on persons and groups of people in the area ahead of the scheduled visitation of the PDP gubernatorial candidate to the ward on Thursday and Friday.

He explained that the visit was in continuation of Adediran’s tour of the 245 wards in the state.

Amode said: “The hoodlums went to the Baale of Ojuoluwa in Empire area of the LGA to threaten him not to receive the entourage who was billed to pay him a courtesy visit.

“The gates leading to the entire Empire area was locked and vehicular movement around the area disrupted.

“In the same vein, the canopy and chairs arranged at Iponri Housing Estate was violently destroyed by APC killer-thugs who were armed with dangerous weapons, including guns, and many of our members who were making the arrangements were wounded in the ensuing fracas.

“The same set of the APC-sponsored thugs mobilised themselves to Soloki Street, Aguda ,where Dr. Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran went to observe Jumat prayers, welding dangerous weapons, destroying vehicles in the entourage and violently smashing one of the campaign vehicles.

“They also vandalised the campaign vehicles of our House of Representtives Candidates, Hon. Soyinka, who is a sitting member of the House of Representatives.”

The PDP spokesman added that the political thugs also went ahead to vandalise the PDP Secretariat at No. 2 Shittu Street, Aguda, during which several members of our party sustained various degrees of injury.

He said that a similar incident also occurred on Teniola Street where members of the community, who were waiting to receive the entourage of Adediran’s entourage, were dispersed and many also wounded during the attack.

“We are once again using this opportunity to appeal to the President and Commander-in- Chief of the Armed Forces, President Muhammad Buhari, to use his good offices to stem the undemocratic practice of APC in Lagos State, against opposition parties.

“This is to ensure that the desire of the president to leave a legacy of credible elections is not truncated on the altar of selfishness and entitlement by the ruling party in the state.

“We are also using this opportunity to call on the Inspector General of Police to rise to the occasion and provide adequate security for all and sundry to enable them to exercise their franchise in the coming elections,” he said.

Amode also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure no intimidation and harassment undermined its efforts towards organising credible elections, especially in Lagos State.

He appealed to all members of party to remain resolute and focused, saying the PDP leadership and candidates would not be cowed by thugs.

“We urge every loyal member to see the violence display as a show of a bad loser party who has nothing to offer the people of the state and would do anything to continue squandering our commonwealth in the state.

“We urge the ruling party to focus on writing their handle-over notes because their time is up in governing the state.

“Our party PDP and the people of the state will no longer tolerate their misrule beyond 2023,” Amode said.

Meanwhile, in a swift reaction, Mr Seye Oladejo, the Lagos APC Publicity Secretary, said in a statement that Adediran rather unleashed terror on innocent residents and three people reportedly killed in the course of his campaign in Surulere.

“The incident left in its wake several injured victims and three people reportedly died.

“We condemn in strong terms the unwarranted and unprovoked resort to violence on the citizens of the state in the name of electioneering campaign.

“In broad daylight, Jandor’s thugs fired guns at their hapless victims who ran for dear lives,” he said.

According to Oladejo, Lagos cherishes its enviable status as the safest state in the country, a result of long running and painstaking investment in security.

He said that APC viewed the attack as a ploy to instill fear in the hearts of would-be voters as we count down to the elections.

He added: “It’s pathetic to note that a candidate seeking to govern the state could be seen actively promoting violence to disrupt the peace of the citizens.

“The PDP and its candidate have been busy in the past few days, have been crying in the media that their posters were being torn. Unknown to the public, he (Adediran) perfected his evil plans which manifested at his rally.

“While we can imagine the untold misery and frustration that his faltering campaign might have visited on him, it ought not to result in the thirst for the blood of potential voters,“ he said.

The APC spokesman called on the law enforcement agencies to thoroughly investigate the incident, bring the culprits to book and beef security across the state in order to forestall a re-occurrence.

He urged residents to remain calm and law abiding as the state government remained irrevocably committed to its onerous duty of ensuring the safety of lives and property of all and sundry.
VANGUARD

Politics

Rivers: 70 CSOs Ask NASS To Summon Ibas To Give Account

Published

19 hours ago

September 15, 2025

Editor

A coalition of 70 Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, on Monday, urged the National Assembly to summon the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas (retd), to give an account of his stewardship in Rivers State for the past six months.

The groups, under the auspices of the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, said the call had become necessary, considering that the mandate handed to Ibas after the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara by President Bola Tinubu would expire by Thursday.

“This is very important, especially when you consider the fact that funds belonging to Rivers State which were initially seized by the Federal Government, were released to the Sole Administrator after he was appointed. There is need for accountability,” the CSOs insisted.

More so, the Situation Room, in a statement it issued to commemorate the 2025 International Day of Democracy, said it was worried that the nation is still grappling with systemic corruption.

“Today is not just a day of reflection on the state of democracy in Nigeria but on the state of the nation and provides an opportunity to identify areas where improvements are needed.

“Nigeria is at a crucial juncture in its democratic journey, having marked 26 years of democratic rule this year, since the return to civil rule in 1999.

“In July 2025, the Situation Room released a report on the ‘Current State of Democracy in Nigeria’ where it noted that as at 2025, democracy in Nigeria still remains fragile, marked by institutional weaknesses, electoral distrust, and public disillusionment.

“Although some progress has been made, three fundamental principles that form the bedrock of democracy – cultural values, political leadership and the electoral process – are being confronted by systemic corruption, growing disillusionment and erosion of cultural values.

“In addition, over the couple of months, we have seen systematic attempts to decimate political opposition and render our electoral process to be a choiceless ballot for the voters.

“These tactics include state-sponsored infiltration and destruction of other political parties, harassment of journalists and punitive targeting of civil society organisations to make it difficult for them to freely operate and determination to undermine the independence and autonomy of the election management body.

“The current State of the Economy presents some paradox – while the Government lauds itself for bold reforms including the removal of fuel subsidies, which freed up funds for State allocations, infrastructure development, and fiscal restructuring, challenges persist.

“The country continues to struggle with inflation, a weakened currency, rising debt, and widespread poverty, posing serious threats to economic stability.

“The failure of our democracy to deliver dividends to citizens, the failing public service delivery, lack of social amenities in standard healthcare and education, expanding impunity as well as indiscipline in public finance management and accountability emphasises the strong link between democracy and poverty.

“The 2023 general elections, despite technological upgrades like the BVAS, were marred by logistical failures, voter suppression, lack of transparency in the election results transmission and judicial controversies.

“Concerns over judicial independence, suppression of dissent, and weakened democratic institutions remain prevalent.

“Situation Room continues to condemn the breach of the 1999 Constitution and the events that led to the declaration of the State of the Emergency in Rivers State.

“This is not good for our democracy; it shows Executive overreach and a troubling erosion of democratic norms despite calls from well-meaning Nigerians to stop the State of Emergency, ” the statement, which was jointly signed by the Convener of the CSOs, Yunusa Z. Ya’u, and two Co-Conveners, Franklin Oloniju and Mimidoo Achakpa, further read.

Politics

INEC Has Not Confirmed ADC State Leaders – Party

Published

1 day ago

September 15, 2025

Editor

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has dismissed a report claiming that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) confirmed a list of its state chairmen across Nigeria.

In a statement on Sunday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, described the circulating report titled “Coalition Update: INEC Confirms ADC State Chairmen Nationwide” as “fake news” aimed at creating confusion within the party.

“The Independent National Electoral Commission, to the best of our knowledge and verification, has issued no such confirmation, neither officially nor unofficially,” Abdullahi said.

He explained that choosing and approving state leaders is the party’s internal responsibility, not INEC’s.

“The process of constituting and ratifying state leadership within any political party lies squarely within the party’s constitutional prerogative. INEC only recognizes what the party submits through the appropriate channels after due process,” he added.

Abdullahi urged ADC members and the public to ignore the fake list and wait for official communication.

“We therefore urge our members and stakeholders to remain calm, vigilant, and guided by official communication from the national leadership of the ADC,” he said.

He reassured supporters that the ADC remains committed to discipline, structure, and internal democracy, adding that any genuine updates on party leadership will be shared through verified platforms.

Politics

How Bello Deceitfully Assured Me Of Kogi Guber Ticket For 4 Years — Onoja

Published

2 days ago

September 14, 2025

Editor

Former deputy governor of Kogi State, Edward David Onoja, has revealed that his former principal, Yahaya Bello, assured him for four years that he would succeed him as governor, only to change his decision a day before the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election.

Onoja made the disclosure during an interview on MIC ON Podcast published on Saturday night, where he recounted his political journey and his relationship with former Governor Bello.

LEADERSHIP recalls that Onoja had served as Chief of State for about four years before becoming deputy governor under Bello until their tenure elapsed.

“For four years before 2023, he (Yahaya Bello) was the one who called me and said, ‘You will succeed me, get prepared.’ And of course, I planned, I worked, and when it was time, he gave all of us the opportunity (to contest),” Onoja said.

According to him, about seven cabinet members at the time, including himself, picked up the All Progressives Congress (APC) nomination forms on Bello’s directive, but in the end, Bello’s support was with the current governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo.

“At the end of the day, his heart and his choice was with the current governor, His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo,” he said.

Onoja revealed that Bello broke the news to him just a day before the party primaries, a decision he respected despite his disappointment.

“When he broke the news to me a day before the primaries, I told him, ‘You are the boss, you are over me, what you see is what I see, so let’s go get the job done, but I hope you are not making a mistake.’ There were no issues, and then we went to the field and did our best for our candidate,” he stated.

Onoja, who is now a board member of the South-East Development Commission (SEDC), emphasised that despite the turn of events, he remained committed to ensuring victory for the party’s eventual candidate and winner of the last Kogi State governorship election, Ododo, who went on to succeed Bello.