Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s re-election bid received a significant boost on Wednesday when former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Dr. Ade Dosunmu, and Labour Party’s Lagos Central Senatorial candidate in the February 25 National Assembly election, Adesunbo Onitiri, abandoned their respective parties to work for the Governor’s re-election.
Dosunmu and Onitiri declared their intention to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and work for the party during Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly elections, along with thousands of their supporters and members across Lagos State.
They made the statements during a meeting with Governor Sanwo-Olu and APC leaders at Lagos House in Marina on Wednesday.
Governor Sanwo-Olu was also greeted by the chairmen of 13 political parties that are members of the Conference of Political Parties (CPP), as well as members of the Eyo Alakete Pupa Ikolaba Ekun, which is led by Prince Uthman Sodipe-Dosunmu. They all pledged their support for the Governor’s re-election bid.
During the event, the defectors stated that they saw what Sanwo-Olu had accomplished in the previous four years and decided to align with his government.
Dosunmu, who defected to the APC alongside members of the Lagos State PDP as well as APC House of Representatives and House of Assembly candidates, stated that their support for Sanwo-re-election Olu’s was in the best interests of Lagos State.
Dosunmu stated in his declaration speech that their decision to join the APC was based on the dynamic leadership of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the manner in which the incumbent Governor Sanwo-Olu has been steering the affairs of Lagos State since assuming office about four years ago.
He said:
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is a man of exceptional dynamism, a listener, and a good crisis manager. I must state that his inspiring personal style of leadership is equally deserving of my humble commendation. The steady and self-assured way he has been piloting the affairs of Lagos State cutting across every sector with characteristic skills and sobriety is commendable. His great exploits in the areas of infrastructure development, youth empowerment, education, health, direct foreign investment, and transportation (rail and land transportation) among others are enormous.
I want to urge all members of the APC in Lagos State to see this current political realignment as a unique opportunity for greater mobilisation, consolidation, and breaking of new grounds in the build-up to the Governorship and State Assembly elections. A vote for Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is a vote for strong collaboration with the Federal Government of Nigeria under the able leadership of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This will no doubt bring unprecedented development to Lagos State and enhance the quality of life of its resident.
My teaming supporters and I will spare no effort to work for wider acceptability and electoral victory for the APC – our new party, in Lagos State come March 18, 2023.
Also speaking, Onitiri, the Chairman of the Elders Committee of the Labour Party, said Governor Sanwo-Olu is the most competent and most qualified among all the gubernatorial candidates.
He said:
We are here with our members to join hands with our able brother, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to ensure that he has a second term by the grace of God. We are prepared to work with you because we know you are a tested and trusted hand.
You are the most competent and most qualified. We have seen what you have done in the last four years. We are here to endorse you as a governor for the second term. Lagos State Prominent Indigenes are with you. We will campaign and vote for you.”