By Chinelo Obogo
The chairman of Jandor Foundation and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Olajide Adeniran, has vowed that he will emerge the governor of the state in 2023 despite the party’s opposition to his ambition.
He said this during a press conference on Wednesday in Lagos as he launched his political movement called Lagos4Lagos. He claimed that since his ambition became public knowledge, he has had what he described as unpalatable experience from the state government.
He said: “Lagos has not been working and that is what we want people to know but we have been having very unpalatable experience in the past few days that made us wonder when it became a crime to have political ambition. During the international students’ day, I was invited by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Lagos State chapter as a keynote speaker at their event. They visited me and I agreed to support them and we took pictures afterwards. But as soon as they posted the pictures online, they got a call from the state and they were stripped of the state sponsorship, while the venue of the event was taken away from them.
“Another incidence was an invitation I got from the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos to attend his book launch. But 48 hours before the launch, they called me to say that they got a call to rescind my invitation and they couldn’t refuse. I also had an event I was supposed to host at the police college ground. We had made all the necessary payments and we were given approval but shortly afterwards, the approval that was given to us was withdrawn and we were told that it is due to reasons beyond their control. If this is happening to us despite being members of the ruling party, you can imagine what would happen if it was the opposition.
“The fact that we are not bowing down at anyone’s feet is the sin we have committed but by the grace of God, I will be the next governor of Lagos in 2023. I won’t go to party leaders to beg them to give me their supporters because I do not want to repeat the mistakes of former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.
“I have been in this game for 19 years and I have understudied the process. The owner of the Lagos structure knows that something has happened to that structure. We understand the game ad that is why I am audacious about my ambition. Lagos has been working for only a few people but we want the state to work for everyone irrespective of tribe or religion.”