20th March, 2019
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate in the just concluded governorship election in Lagos State, Jimi Agbaje has reportedly dumped the party over unresolved crisis.
Agbaje had been having a running battle with PDP leaders in Lagos as they accused him of diverting money meant for campaign during the polls in Lagos.
Agbaje’s purported dumping of the PDP is trending on twitter.
Western Post quoted Agbaje as saying that, ”I have tried to remain focused and ignore all the distractions coming from the leadership of the party. I am making the decision after due consultations with my supporters and loved ones for the sake of peace.”
Efforts to get Agbaje on phone to confirm his exit from the PDP proved abortive as calls made to his phone were not piked.
In his twitter handle on Wednesday, former Aviation Minister and PDP chieftain, Femi Fani-Kayode twitted: “First it was Musiliu Obanikoro, then Iyiola Omisore, then Gbenga Daniel and now Jimi Agbaje. All my closest friends and brothers are abandoning ship and leaving @OfficialPDPNig! Ouch!”
Former PDP Chairman in the state, Chief Tunji Shelle, had accused Agbaje of being responsible for the party’s poor performance in the governorship election, saying that the party had a situation where somebody said he could work and achieve victory alone, yet knowing nothing.
According to Shelle, rather than show cooperation, Agbaje was arguing and fighting people who could help him, adding that even when things were going bad and help was to be rendered, he said he did not need help.
“Well-meaning people intervened to rally everybody together in Lagos. They called us to a meeting and asked us to help him but he refused, saying he doesn’t need help. He became a lone ranger and stand-alone person. Even when we were trying to reinforce his campaign team, he told us point blank that he couldn’t work with people he can’t control. He wants to be a master of all and subject everybody in the party under his control which is not possible. You can’t control everybody because PDP is not your private party,” he said.
“So, we decided to leave him to go and do the job alone and at the end of the day, that is the result we got in Lagos. That is the major reason why PDP failed in Lagos.”
“If not for the sympathy votes we got from people who are tired of APC and felt there is need for leadership change in Lagos state, we could have gotten lesser votes in the governorship election. To be frank, our governorship candidate was our problem in Lagos state.”
“He defeated the party and defeated himself. The most unfortunate thing is that he doesn’t feel the pain of what he has caused. Also, there was mismanagement of resources too because everybody left him to his fate to do whatever pleases him,” Shelle stated.