Abdul-Azeez Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, has rejoined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
At a press briefing in Lagos on Monday, Jandor stated that his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is a “reflection of his unwavering commitment to the development of Lagos”.
Jandor was the governorship candidate of the PDP in Lagos in the 2023 general election.
He held a secret meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the presidential villa last Tuesday.
Jandor was a member of the APC before defecting to the PDP to run for governorship.
The 47-year-old politician accused PDP national leadership of letting him down on the eve of the election, insisting that he would have won but for a false claim of alliance that made PDP supporters in Lagos vote for another candidate.
Jandor said he dumped the PDP because of the inability of the national leadership of the party to instill discipline, and condemned the “anti-party activities” from some party leaders in 2023.
He said since resigning his membership of the PDP, he has held talks with various parties, including the Social Democratic Party (SDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Young Progressive Party (YPP), before settling for the APC.
“In the process of consultation, we had crucial discussions with some leaders of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), All Progressive Congress (APC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Young Progressive Party (YPP) among others,” he said.
“We equally had a truth-sharing engagement with the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the national level on the likelihood of rescinding a resignation from the party if the identified wrongs could be corrected.”
Jandor said his return to the APC is powered by the belief that it is a more effective vehicle for delivering good governance to Lagosians, even if his name is not on the ballot.
“While we remain proud of the campaign we ran and the support we garnered, we believe that working within the fold of the APC offers a more viable platform to deliver on our promises of good governance for all Lagosians, even if I am not the one on the ballot,” he said.
“Our return to the APC is not a decision made lightly. It is a reflection of our unwavering commitment to the progress of Lagos state and our belief that unity among progressives is essential to achieving the collective aspirations of our people.”
