Azeez Adediran (Jandor), the 2023 PDP governorship candidate in Lagos State, has resigned from the party.

Announcing his resignation on Monday at his office in Ikeja, Mr Adediran said he was leaving the party owing to what he called betrayal by PDP elders.

“After deep reflection and extensive consultations with my family, political associates, and supporters, we have made the difficult decision to resign from the Peoples Democratic Party,” Mr Adediran said.

He said the inability of the state chapter of the party to resolve its internal crisis also prompted his decision to leave.

Mr Adediran, leader of the Lagos4Lagos Movement, added that he was leaving  PDP with all his supporters in the 20 local government areas and 37 local council development areas (LCDAs) in the state.

Stating that his next political move would be known in a few months, Mr Adediran promised to continue contributing to the state’s growth irrespective of where he stands politically.

“I stand before you today with a heavy heart but a clear conscience. We have dedicated ourselves to the ideals of democracy, good governance, and the pursuit of a better Lagos.

“However, it has become evident that the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, both at the state and national level, has failed to uphold these principles.

“The persistent anti-party activities, internal sabotage, and lack of discipline within the party have severely undermined our collective efforts and made it impossible for genuine progress to be achieved,” Mr Adediran said.

The former candidate recounted how he ran a campaign based on transformation, development, and the desire for positive change.

Mr Adediran said that during the electioneering process, his team enjoyed passionate and unwavering support from party loyalists, especially at the grassroots.

He, however, said some leaders within the party felt threatened by his candidacy and stood in the way of victory.

“Unfortunately, the internal betrayal and lack of commitment from the party leadership hindered our chances and left many of our supporters bewildered and disillusioned.

“We were attacked six different times during the campaign, but neither the state chairman of the party nor any leader as such issued a statement condemning such attacks,” he said.

Mr Adediran said that after the election, his team officially complained to the party at the national level, believing and expecting that appropriate sanctions would be applied to those involved in anti-party activities.

“We have waited this long to see if there will be some sort of respite, but what we see, even at the top, is that the same set of leaders that campaigned and worked openly against the party are the ones holding the aces today.

“How do we trust the same people again in the next election cycle, and how do we forgive those who are not sorry for their misdeeds?” he said.

He said his team’s commitment to the people of Lagos remained unwavering, adding that he would engage with stakeholders on the next line of action.

(NAN)