Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, a former Minister of Works on Saturday said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) needs eight years of planning including hard work of they can get close to winning Lagos State.
Ogunlewe who spoke in an interview with DAILY INDEPENDENT was reacting to the reception of the convener of the Lagos4Lagos Movement Movement and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdulazeez Adediran, aka Jandor, into the PDP at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS).
National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu; Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde; former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and five other governors on the platform of the PDP received Jandor and his supporters into the PDP on Friday
The governors in attendance are host governor, Makinde; Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike; Akwa Ibom Governor, Deacon Udom Emmanuel; his Abia State counterpart, Okezie Ikpeazu; Enugu State Governor, Mr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; Bayelsa State and Senator Duoye Diri of Bayelsa State.
During the event, which had in attendance members of the National Working Committee of the PDP, including the Deputy National Chairman, Taofeek Arapaja, and the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, as well as former PDP Deputy National Chairman, Chief Olabode George; former governors Peter Obi and Olusegun Mimiko, the PDP said it is ready to take over Lagos state in 2023.
Reacting to their threat, Ogunlewe a former PDP chieftain said winning an election, especially Lagos state which is firmly under APC’s control requires a lot of hard work.
He said “Some governors came to Lagos state yesterday for ‘Lagos4Lagos’ declaration and they said they will take over Lagos state in 2023. It is a tall order and a heroic statement. Atari ajanaku ni, kiise eru omode (the dismembered head of an elephant is not what a child can carry)”.
“To win an election is not by mere talking. You must walk the talk because you don’t win by mouth. You have to work very hard. Somebody is controlling 57 local councils, all the councilors, all the Road Transport unions, market women, primary and secondary school teachers and you say that you will defeat him. Where are you going to get your votes from?”
“Those are the voters that are already part of APC and so you need to work to convince them to vote for you? How many teachers does PDP have in primary and secondary schools? How many supporters do they have in the markets? How many students in the tertiary institutions who are getting scholarships and bursaries do you have?”
“My advice to PDP is that they need a minimum of eight years planning plus hard work to get near winning Lagos. They need money, structures and the ability to convince people. I said ‘convince the voters’ because the attitude of people towards elections today is not right at all. People don’t like to vote again. Where you have less than 10 percent of registered voters”.
“They only register because they need the document for one thing or the other, not necessarily because they want to vote. On the day of the election, they will sit down at home watching television or playing football on the streets. No matter how you beg them to vote, they won’t listen”.