Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, has claimed that he could have emerged victorious in the 2023 Lagos State governorship election if not for the unexpected political surge driven by Peter Obi’s influence.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Jandor argued that his campaign was well-positioned to unseat incumbent Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, but the momentum generated by Obi’s candidacy reshaped the political terrain.
“The 2023 election came with a tsunami that nobody saw coming, and it changed everything,” Jandor remarked.
He explained that before the presidential election, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), under his leadership in Lagos, was actively engaging with voters, while the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) appeared passive. He recalled instances where Sanwo-Olu refused to attend public debates, stating, “We were on the streets of Lagos, but the ruling party was nowhere to be found. He (Sanwo-Olu) declined debates, even saying he wouldn’t share a stage with me.”
The dynamics of the race took a dramatic turn when Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) won Lagos in the presidential election. Jandor explained that before that result, the governorship contest was mainly between the APC and PDP.
However, Obi’s success shifted the electorate’s perception, fostering a belief that political change was within reach.
“The election was a two-horse race until the presidential vote happened. Obi won Lagos, Asiwaju (Bola Tinubu) came second, and Atiku (Abubakar) finished third,” Jandor stated. He described how this outcome led to a wave of political enthusiasm that ultimately affected PDP’s chances in the governorship election.
“People started believing that if they could do this at the federal level, they could take Lagos too. We became casualties of that momentum,” he added.
Despite the setback, Jandor maintained confidence that he could have won if not for the ‘Obi effect.’ However, he admitted, “It wasn’t yet God’s time” for his governorship ambition to materialize.
Jandor, who originally started his political career in the APC, was the leader of the Lagos4Lagos Movement before defecting to the PDP in 2022. He secured the PDP’s governorship ticket but later left the party, citing internal betrayal.
He expressed frustration over what he perceived as a lack of discipline within the PDP, saying, “We waited to see if the party’s leadership would take action against those involved in anti-party activities. After two years of waiting, instead of enforcing discipline, they appointed one of them as Vice Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee.”
