PDP denies that it has entered into alliance with Labour Party in Lagos State over governorship

NIGERIA'S main opposition the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has debunked claims that its leaders were in talks with the Labour Party over creating an alliance in Lagos State ahead of Saturday’s governorship and house of assembly elections.

On Saturday February 25, Nigerians went to the polls to elect a new president and in a surprise development, Peter Obi of the labour Party beat Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, despite him being a former governor. With gubernatorial elections coming up next Saturday, the Labour Party is confident that its candidate Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, can defeat incumbent Governor Babajide Sanwoolu of the APC.

Over the last week, there had been rumours that the PDP and Labour Party would collapse their campaigns together to enable them beat the APC. However, Hakeem Amode, the publicity secretary of the Lagos State chapter of the PDP, said any reports that the party's governorship candidate, Abdulazeez  Adediran, was planning to step down are false.

He said it was imperative to debunk claims by the Labour Party candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, that he was talking with the real owners of PDP structure in Lagos State. In a report by the Guardian newspaper, Mr Rhodes-Vivour, was quoted as saying: “We are talking to the owner of the structure of PDP.

"In the coming days, we will align with them to ensure that we take Lagos to the next level. People that are behind this movement are not moved by money, they are voting for hope, moved by the hope of a new Lagos and they are going to come out more than before. People have seen how one man in his interest rubbished the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) process, so, we are ready to fight.”

However, Mr Amode said the statement was a disrespect to the PDP, as no one can lay claims to the ownership structure of the party. he added that the PDP is a proper democratic party and its only the state executive of the party as recognised by the national body that can be described as the custodian of the PDP under the leadership of its governorship candidate Dr Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor.

Mr Amode added: “So, whoever Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour is talking to are only representing themselves and not Lagos PDP, as no official conversation across the two-party lines at the moment, and Jandor is not planning to step down for any candidate. The Jandor brand is a household name in the state which he has earned on his own merit due to his immense hard work and he’s not riding on any sudden waves.

“We are using this opportunity to urge our teeming supporters and good people of Lagos that the decision of the people to ensure that Lagos breaks free will be respected and defended in the coming gubernatorial election of March 11. The efforts to liberate Lagos from the present oligarchy government of APC cannot be undermined by people who do not see such a great battle that must be won and cannot be subjected to social media cruise.”