For the fourth time, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP
is squaring up to upturn its second place position in the
politics of Nigeria’s socio-political hub, Lagos.
By Dapo Akinrefon
The attempt in 2015 is coming just after its worst
showing in 2011 when the party was completely routed
by the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN whose
candidate and incumbent, Babatunde Fashola had
raised the benchmark in governance in the country.
Before 2011, the election in 2007 which ushered in the
Fashola era had almost smelt victory but at the end
Fashola through the ruggedness of his predecessor and
godfather, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu triumphed and
that despite the third party option that was thrown by
the Democratic People’s Alliance, DPA candidate, Jimi
Agbaje.
The issues
The main issue for the PDP has consistently been the
division in its ranks which had almost always seen
party members sabotaging the chosen candidate.
Despite the recent assertions of unity, many are yet to
be convinced that the PDP stakeholders can completely
unite behind a candidate.
An issue for the PDP is also the feeling that the Tinubu
phenomenon is for once about to unravel given the
simmer in the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC on
the choice of a candidate. But the possibility of the PDP
seizing the opportunity of the division in the APC is
tempered by the equal prospect of division in the
opposition party.
We’re winning Lagos—Shelle
Chairman of the PDP in Lagos State, Olatunji Shelle, in
a recent interaction with journalists, said the party is
seriously strategising to shock the APC in the 2015
elections.
Shelle had said, “We are looking for somebody who
has integrity and depth; somebody who is consistent
and sensitive to the yearnings of the people. We shall
ensure that our candidate is focused, has pedigree and
integrity; that he has a good background that can
sustain the economy of the state without mortgaging
the interest of the common people.
We shall produce next gov—George
To clear the air that the long time infighting that in the
party was over, a member of the PDP Board of Trustees,
Chief Bode George said “we want to reassure you that
all is well in the South west PDP.”
George added that “we shall produce the next governor
of Lagos State. But I am not deluded.”
Lagos ‘ll come under PDP—Mimiko
Only recently, Governor Olusegun Mimiko, who is
making concerted efforts at rejoining his first love,
hinted that the PDP was concentrating its efforts at
winning Lagos State in both governorship and
presidential election.
Mimiko expressed optimism that “by 2015 when Lagos
State would have come under PDP government, we
shall come to celebrate.”
Talk is cheap—Igbokwe
When Vanguard sought APC’s response to the PDP’s
attempt to wrest power from it in 2015, the state
publicity secretary of the party, Mr Joe Igbokwe said
“it is an old story, there is no need to dissipate my
energy talking about it all the time.”
“Talk is cheap. In 1999, they said it. In every nook and
cranny, Lagos is occupied by the APC. Where will the
PDP stand if they want to take over Lagos? Where are
the men from the PDP that would do the job? Where is
the capacity and capability? Where is the energy to do
it? So, talk is very cheap. We will work in every nook
and cranny of the state, as the PDP is talking, we are
working. Talk is very cheap”, Igbokwe said.
The contenders
With less than 10 months to the gubernatorial elections,
contenders are already revving up their political
machineries, deploying varying antics to curry favour
for their individual principals and perhaps defeat APC
at the polls.
Owolabi Salis
Owolabi Salis is a lawyer and accountant, who
practised in the country for a while before relocating to
the USA in the mid nineties. Following the advent of
civil rule, Salis returned and showed interest in the
2007 contest but lost having used the platform of the
Lateef Jakande-led Action Party of Nigeria (APN).
In the run-up to the 2011 elections, Salis returned to the
country and again contested the primaries on the
platform of PDP.
He, however, lost to the party’s flag bearer, Ade
Dosunmu. Owolabi is expected to take a chance again
to realise his dream of becoming governor.
Ade Dosunmu
Dosunmu, a former Director General/Chief Executive
Officer of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety
Agency (NIMASA), was the party’s candidate in 2011
and generally famed as a godson of party godfather,
Chief Olabode George. He is making efforts to again
seek the party’s ticket.
Babatunde Gbadamosi
Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi is an entrepreneur, tax
and property consultant. Gbadamosi, who returned to
Nigeria from his UK base a few years took a plunge
into the foray of politics in Lagos.
That journey saw him enter into the race as one of the
gubernatorial aspirants of the PDP in Lagos State in
the 2011 elections. He emerged last at the primaries but
is set to take another shot for the PDP ticket.
Adedeji Doherty
He once acted as the South west PDP chairman. In 2003
and 2007, he threw his hat into the ring for the
gubernatorial race, but lost.
Currently, he is the South-West PDP Organising
Secretary and has since declared interest for the plum
job.
Dominic Adegbola
In 2011, he was the candidate of the All Progressives
Grand Alliance (APGA) but has since crossed over to
the PDP after his defeat.
Adegbola, a medical doctor cum politician is optimistic
that he would realise his ambition on the platform of
the PDP in Lagos State.
Jimi Agbaje
During the
2007
governorship
electioneering
campaigns,
he was a
household
name. His
campaign
slogan
‘JayKay is
Ok’ endeared
people to him
and his
campaign
jingles were
outstanding.
A pharmacist
by profession from the Obafemi Awolowo University
and the Managing Director JayKay Pharmacy Limited,
Lagos, Agbaje contested the 2007 gubernatorial
elections on the platform of Democratic People’s
Alliance (DPA), but lost to the incumbent governor,
Fashola.
He has since jumped ship for the PDP as he intends to
actualise his aspiration on the party’s platform
irrespective of opposition to his ambition.
Musiliu Obanikoro
He is a former local government chairman, former
commissioner in Lagos, a former Senator and former
Nigerian Ambassador to Ghana.
He is currently the Minister of State for Defence and
there are speculations that he may resign to contest for
the PDP ticket in Lagos State.
Popularly referred to as ‘Koro’, Senator Musiliu
Obanikoro put up a good fight in the 2007
governorship election elections, having left the Alliance
for Democracy (AD) for the PDP where he was a strong
confidant of Tinubu. Many had thought that his recent
appointment as Minister of State for Defence by
President Jonathan, put paid to his ambition to become
governor of Lagos State.
…And the others
Other contenders are no less formidable, given their
backgrounds and antecedents, coupled with
experiences in both in the public and the private
sectors.
For example, Dr Segun Ogundimu was one of the
leading lights in the defunct National Republican
Convention (NRC). A vocal politician with oratory
power, the interest of the former state Commissioner for
Health in the Lagos PDP ticket is a climax to his
political career.
Similarly, a senior lecturer in the Department of English
at the University of Lagos, Dr Gabriel Adetokunboh
Pearse, is also in the race for the (PDP) ticket. Only time
could tell if his political affinity with former PDP
national chairman, Alhaji BamangaTukur could
significantly count for him this time.
Another contestant, who has been in the political circle
dating back to the aborted Third Republic is Kitoye
Branco-Rhodes. He was a chieftain of the then Nigerian
Advance Party and gave a good account of himself
against the plan by late Head of State, General Sani
Abacha to transmute to a civilian president.