Bigwigs of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) will on Tuesday welcome a splinter group from the All Progressives Congress (APC) into the party in Lagos. Among those expected at the event are the Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde and other top party officials. The event will witness the official welcoming of the lead visioner of the Lagos4Lagos Movement, Dr Olajide Adediran, aka Jandor, into People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Jandon with his teeming supporters, towards the end of last year, dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), following irreconcilable differences, the aftermath of the party’s ward, local and state congresses, which conduct and the outcome he strongly opposed.
The former APC factional leader, who, findings showed had already paid visits to homes of PDP bigwigs in Lagos, including that of former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Chief Olabode George, and was warmly received, would be officially welcomed into PDP at a grand ceremony, scheduled to hold at Tafawa Balewa Square, in Onikan area of the state.
Governor Makinde will lead other party chieftain from South-West, including former governors, deputy governors, former and serving senators and House of Representatives members to the event expected to commence by 10 in the morning.
Chief George, who is leader of PDP in Lagos will be host at the event, while the party headquarters in Abuja, the Federal Capital, is expected to send a representative.
“The grand ceremony to officially receive Jandor into PDP will be coming up on Tuesday, it has not changed. The preparations have been concluded.
“Governor Makinde, as leader of the party in South-West, will be leading other party chieftains from across the region to receive him into PDP,” Chief Abayomi Kuye, who is member, South-West Caretaker Committee of PDP said.
It would be recalled that Jandon, who crossed to PDP on the invitation of former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, at a meeting held at the faction’s secretariat in Lagos, in an exclusive interview with Tribune Online, said his defection to PDP was to resurrect the party to win elections in state.
He maintained that his movement was joining forces with the PDP to wrestle power from the ruling APC in Lagos State.
“Everybody knew the events that led to our defection. We have seen that they (APC leadership) are not ready for anything. And for us, we have a vision and we are focused on it. We all saw what the PDP did during their congresses. They held a rancour-free congress from the ward, local government, state and as well as the national levels.
“We are focused and we have the numbers. We have weighed other options and we believe it is better we move our structure to a political party that equally has a structure. You know structure wins an election,” he said.