A socio-political group, Ndigbo Lagos4Lagos has condemned the alleged attack on the campaign train of Dr Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran (popularly known as JANDOR), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Lagos State by suspected thugs and hoodlums around the Badagry axis of the state.
The group in a statement signed by its chairman, Dr Jonathan Nnaji said the attack, though condemnable, is however a signal to the rising popularity and acceptance of the PDP governorship candidate by Lagosians at large.
The group however drew the attention of the Inspector-General of Police to the need to bring the perpetrators of the act to book.
“We want to appeal and draw the attention of the IG of police to bring the culprits to book to face the full wrath of the law.
“We sympathise with the Jandor/Funke campaign organisation and wish those injured in the attack a quick recovery.
“We the Ndigbo Lagos4Lagos equally want to assure you of our undivided support to ensure you come out victorious at the gubernatorial polls”, the group stated.
In a related development, the Lagos State chapter of the PDP has condemned the state government’s decision to shut two commodity markets in the Alimosho Local Government Area over the alleged “warm reception” accorded the PDP governorship candidate and his running mate, Funke Akindele during a recent campaign tour of the area.
The party, in a statement by its publicity secretary, Hon. Hakeem Amode gave the names of the shut markets as Council Market, Idimu and Pudaki (Akeja) Market, Ile-Iwe, Egbe.
The opposition party further said that the government not only shut the market but that its officials have subjected the market men and women in the two markets to a series of threats, harassment and intimidation.
“The leadership of our party finds the intimidation of the good people of the state by this government disheartening and uncalled for. We would like to condemn in strong terms the attitude of the APC government agents in these markets and restate our support for the people who, under democratic rule, are entitled to choose who leads them through the ballot.
“We would like to warn the APC government in the state that our party and our candidates will not fold their arms while government officials continue their misanthropic policies and programmes using government apparatus to cow everyone to do their bidding.
” Only recently, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu boasted that the people of the state are behind his government and that Lagos State is the base of APC. We are by this statement challenging him and his cohorts in the state to therefore respect the tenets of democracy and freedom of speech and expression as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and allow the good people of the state to freely make their choice through the ballot without intimidation and undue influence.
“We are also using this opportunity to call on well-meaning citizens of the state to rise to the defence of democracy in Lagos State and to protect individuals in the state to enable them to make their choice in the coming election freely without fear or favour, let or hindrance “.