Eight political parties have endorsed the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Part, PDP, in Lagos, Mr Jimi Agbaje ahead of Saturday April 11 governorship election in the state.
Agbaje is engrossed in a tight raise with the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress, Mr Akunwumi Ambode, who is hoping on that the momentum of the party’s victory in March 28 presidential election will see him through.
Ambode has drafted the president-elect to Lagos to urge his supporters to vote for him.
The parties which have thrown their weight behind Agbaje include the United Party of Nigeria (UPN), Alliance for Democracy(AD), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Accord, and African Democratic Congress (ADC). Others are the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), Democratic Peoples Party(DPP), National Conscience Party and Citizens Popular Party(CPP).
Leaders of the party at a press conference in Lagos Thursday, said they would work rigorously for Agbaje’s emergence as governor of the state in Saturday’s election.
Spokesperson for the group, Mr Femi Ikuomola of UPN enjoined the youths to vote for credible candidates in the election, irrespective of threat from any quarter.
Ikuomola said, “all the eight political parties hereby pledge allegiance, their total support and unanimously endorse Jimi Kolawole Agbaje, the PDP flag bearer in the April 11 governorship election in Lagos state.”
The parties frowned on the the alleged threat by the Oba of Lagos to non-indigenes to vote All Progressives Congress (APC) or drown in the Lagoon, urging traditional rulers to desist from endorsing candidates and focus on their traditional role of protecting the culture of their people.
“Any royal father that is interested in politics should renounce his rulership and venture into full politics.” While stressing the need for a violence free governorship and State House of Assembly elections, he called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Sulieman Abba to deploy more security men to volatile states in the country,” Ikuomola said.
