Lagos PDP’s call for ban on Ambode ridiculous – Group
Itesiwaju Ipinle Eko Vanguard, which is made up of social activists, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), artisans and political groups have described recent call by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Lagos State on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ban Lagos State Governor Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode from contesting the 2019 governorship election as ridiculous.
The Coordinator of the group, Bamigbade Seyi reacted to the statement credited to PDP when they went to meet with the People Welfare Foundation, group led by Alhaja Latifat Olufunke Gbajabiamila, the mother of Femi Gbajabiamila, the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, representing Surulere 1 Federal Constituency in Lagos.
He said the PDP in Lagos State has started to ball at a time they are supposed to be committed, working hard on how they can organize their party to be relevant in the scheme of things in Lagos by calling on INEC to disqualify Ambode and APC from participating in the 2019 Lagos governorship election.
According to him, calling for the arrest of members of the Itesiwaju Ipinle Eko Vanguard, State Coordinator, Seyi Bamigbade is a sluggish act, saying they have not breached any Electoral Act by simply expressing their views about the governor’s performance.
“We have not breached any Electoral Act. All we are doing is to express our views about a man whose style of governance has endeared him to many Lagos residents in large numbers. Is there any law in the country that stipulates that we should not appreciate good governance and applaud the man making it possible? Has the Lagos PDP not recovered from the last defeat they suffered from APC in the last Local Government polls? Why are they still talking out of context?,” Bamigbade fumed.
He said organizing three million-man get together to celebrate Governor Ambode in three senatorial districts with one million in each of the districts in the state was their own of showing support and appreciate the governor for not disappointing the All Progressive Congress and Lagosians as a whole,
He said, “We did not get a dime from Lagos Government to bring these like minds together. These are people just happy that the governor is making life meaningful for residents, empowering people, building infrastructure, touching lives and areas hitherto neglected. That is what we are talking about but the PDP being a retrogressive party seems not to get it.”
Also speaking, Olufunke Gbajabiamila said members of her group throughout Lagos State had started canvassing support for Governor Ambode to continue in office.
