The Lagos State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, has picked as his deputy Alhaja Safurat Abdulkareem, the running mate of slain governorship aspirant Mr. Funsho Williams, during the 2003 governorship election.A former Minister of Works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, told our correspondent on Tuesday that she was picked in a bid to “keep the spirit of Funsho Williams alive.”
The development comes less than a week after the All Progressives Congress, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has picked the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Oluranti Adebule, as his running mate.
Ogunlewe said with Agbaje as the PDP’s candidate, he was certain that the APC would not rule Lagos beyond 2015.
Also speaking at Ogunlewe’s house, the state Director, Mobilisation, Eko Initiative, Mr. Tajudeen Agoro, said Abdulkareeem is an ex-councillor who hails from the Badagry area of the state
He said she was largely responsible for the victory that the PDP recorded in Badagry when it cleared most of the votes in 2003.
“She was a councillor in Badagry. Before Badagry was split into local council development areas, she was able to secure votes for the PDP in Badagry,” he said.
Agoro said the APC had become unpopular in Lagos and the masses were anxious to vote them out next year.
He berated the APC Publicity Secretary, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, for saying Agbaje lacked political experience.
“Who was Igbokwe before becoming the publicity secretary of the APC? Agbaje is a pharmacist and a philanthropist. He was a NADECO chieftain and you are saying he has no experience. What experience does Ambode have?” he said.
He said all was not well within the APC as many of the governorship aspirants were aggrieved while some members of the party had gone to court.
He said, “Igbokwe should go and think of how to manage the crisis in his party rather than meddle in the affairs of the PDP.
“The APC is a fluke, they are nowhere. With what is happening in the PDP today, the APC are goners.” (Punch)