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Tag: Peter Obi

  • Your behaviour is disturbing — Sanwo-Olu blasts Peter Obi for ‘demarketing’ Nigeria in US

    Your behaviour is disturbing — Sanwo-Olu blasts Peter Obi for ‘demarketing’ Nigeria in US

    Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has tackled Peter Obi over the perceived disparaging comment he made about Nigeria at Johns Hopkins University in the United States.

    The Lagos Governor said Obi lacks the moral right to talk about poverty in Nigeria.

    During his recent engagement at Johns Hopkins University, the 2023 Labour Party Presidential candidate painted a picture of how Nigeria fell off economically within 25 years, leading to an astronomic increase in the poverty rate.

    Using the poverty index, Obi compared Nigeria, China, Indonesia and Vietnam to analyse Nigeria’s rising poverty rate.

    He explained that, in 1990, when the Human Development Index (HDI) measurement started, Nigeria, China, Vietnam and Indonesia were all classified under the medium category of the HDI measurement.

    According to him, Nigeria had the fewest people in poverty in 1990, and 35 years later, it has more poor people than China, Indonesia and Vietnam combined.

    “In the area of poverty, Nigeria with about 50 million poor people, had the least number of people in poverty in 1990 than any of the three countries. While China had about 750 million people living in poverty, Indonesia and Vietnam had 85 million and 60 million poor people, respectively. China alone had about 15 times the number of poor people than Nigeria. Today, however, Nigeria has more poor people than these 3 countries combined,” Obi argued.

    Reacting, Governor Sanwo-Olu in a statement titled, “Factually Addressing Mr. Peter Obi’s Criticism of Nigeria at Johns Hopkins University,” accused Obi of making disparaging comments about Nigeria.

    He said he finds Obi’s pattern of behaviour disturbing, indicating that his comments about Nigeria on the global stage don’t project the country positively.

    “He made unflattering remarks not just about the incumbent Nigerian government but also about Nigeria. I also find Mr Obi’s pattern of behaviour disturbing. When prominent Nigerians go overseas, they ought to project Nigeria positively.

    “They do not have to do that for the government. But we all owe a duty to market Nigeria on the global stage rather than demarket her. That is what true patriotism is about.”

    Sanwo-Olu, who predicated his reaction on poverty, which Obi focused on in his analysis, said any leader could fight poverty generationally by promoting education, improving healthcare, providing credit, and granting access to land.

    According to him, it is ironic that the former Governor of Anambra, who did not build a single school or a stand-alone hospital throughout his tenure, is criticising the Federal Government.

    Sanwo-Olu said, “I find it somewhat ironic that a man like Mr Obi, who did not build a single school or a stand-alone hospital throughout his eight-year tenure as governor of Anambra or sustainably provide credit facilities, would criticise the government of Nigeria, which is actively doing that.

    “I say this because the president of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is my predecessor, and as governor of Lagos and now President of Nigeria, has built over 200 schools and provided student loans to more than 200,000 undergraduates of Nigerian tertiary institutions.

    “In less than two years, he has provided over half a billion dollars in credit facilities to small and medium-scale enterprises.”

    Explaining how Obi contributed to the poverty problem he criticised, the Lagos State Governor highlighted how poverty increased during Obi’s administration from 41.4 per cent to 53.7 per cent in two years.

    He said, “Under Peter Obi, a two-term Anambra Governor, poverty in Anambra increased. It did not reduce. Before Peter Obi became Anambra Governor on Thursday, June 14, 2007, the poverty rate in Anambra was 41.4 per cent.

    “But after only two years in office, the poverty rate in Anambra jumped to 53.7 per cent. But the interesting thing is that five years after Peter Obi left office, his successor, Willie Obiano, reduced the poverty rate in Anambra from almost 60 per cent to 14.8 per cent.

    “As such, I am not sure that Mr. Obi is morally well placed to make the alarming claims he made about Nigeria at Johns Hopkins. Mr Obi contributed to the increase in poverty in Nigeria.

  • This isn’t leadership, it’s cowardice!

    This isn’t leadership, it’s cowardice!

    It is no longer enough to have good intentions. You must have the right godfather, the right logo, the right slogan, and worst of all the right timing approved by invisible political gatekeepers. Otherwise, even a visit to comfort displaced citizens becomes a threat.

    That is the tragedy behind what happened when Peter Obi attempted to visit Benue State.

    Obi, former governor and presidential candidate, has long made it his practice to visit Nigerians in need,quietly, respectfully, and often with personal resources. This time, his mission was clear.

    Visit victims at an IDP camp, support students at a nursing school, and pay courtesy visits to local leaders. Plateau State welcomed him.

    Benue blocked him

    And not with subtlety. A press release from the state government made the rounds just as Obi and his team reached Akwanga, detailing his itinerary word-for-word, an itinerary previously shared only with the governor’s ADC and the security operatives for transparency. Suddenly, security advice shifted. Suddenly, his trip was deemed inconvenient. Suddenly, he was turned back.

    What was the crime? Visiting Nigerians who have lost everything? Supporting a school for nurses in a region where healthcare is gasping for breath? Showing empathy in a time when indifference has become government policy?
    It makes no sense, unless you understand the sickness in our politics.

    Here, every act is interpreted through the lens of power. Nothing is innocent. Nothing is simply humanitarian. If you donate food, you are mobilizing. If you comfort victims, you are plotting. If you speak the truth, you are “eyeing 2027.”

    We politicize everything.
    We politicize grief.
    We politicize poverty.
    We politicize displacement.
    We politicize even the right to be kind.
    We politicize hunger.
    We politicize education.
    We politicize displacement.
    We politicize disaster.
    We politicize people’s pain.

    And what is most painful is that this isn’t about Peter Obi. It’s about what Nigeria is becoming. It’s about the culture of suspicion, the obsession with control, the fear of being shown up,not through insult or attack, but through decency.

    You don’t have to support him to see the problem. Any decent person, regardless of party, should be alarmed by this. Because tomorrow, it could be someone else. Another leader, another governor, another act of kindness interpreted as a political threat.

    We are at a crossroads as a country. We don’t need more bitterness. We need bridges. We need to let go of this idea that everything must serve political interest before it serves people. Not everything is politics. Somethings are just about being human.

    What message are we sending to future leaders who genuinely want to serve? That even if they try to be civil, respectful, and compassionate, they will be sabotaged? That humanitarian acts must be scheduled through egos instead of needs?

    Peter Obi didn’t throw tantrums. He didn’t call names. He didn’t rage or curse. He simply issued a heartfelt statement:
    May God help us as we aim to achieve a new Nigeria where we do not politicize everything.
    But that gentle prayer should hit us hard.

    And in that line lies a question for every Nigerian.

    How did we get here? How did we get to a place where displaced children, traumatized mothers, and hopeful nursing students must wait for political clearance to receive love?

    This isn’t leadership. This is cowardice masquerading as control.

    When a leader sees another person’s compassion as a threat, he has lost his moral compass. When the poor become pawns in a power game, governance has failed.

    His journey may be blocked, but the message went through. Nigerians are watching. Nigerians are reading between the lines. We know what time it is. We know who stands with the people.

    It is not enough to build roads and wear white cassocks on Sunday. Leadership is not decoration. It is service. And when service becomes theater, the people suffer.

    There was once a time when being a Reverend Father meant your conscience was above politics. When being a public servant meant you served without bias, without fear, without the need to play puppet to party overlords. But today, it seems even the pulpit can’t protect us from the pettiness of power!

    Let us be honest.We are bleeding as a country.

    Our economy is crumbling, our students are disillusioned, our IDP camps are overflowing, and our healthcare system is ailing. In times like this, anyone willing to lend a hand should be embraced, not resisted. And if politics is your reason for saying no, then politics has become a curse.

    A school in Gboko will remain unfinished. An IDP camp in Makurdi will remain unseen. All because politics told kindness to wait.

    Imagine a child peeking through a tent flap, watching a convoy turn around,not because it couldn’t find the road, but because the road was blocked by pride. Imagine what that child will grow up believing.

    We say we want a better Nigeria, yet we destroy the very acts that build it.

    Peter Obi’s blocked visit should not be a footnote. It should be a warning. Because when politics begins to fear compassion, a nation is not just broken,it is lost.

    And if we still have any conscience, if we still want this country to work, then we must stop weaponizing everything. Every visit must not be a campaign. Every act of love must not be suspect. Every difference in party must not equal enmity.

    A new Nigeria is possible

    But only if we stop fearing those who are trying to build it differently.
    The people are watching. And history remembers.

    •Stephanie Shaakaa, University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State.

  • Peter Obi condemns Bokkos killings, charges FG to act decisively

    Peter Obi condemns Bokkos killings, charges FG to act decisively

    As the death toll in Bokkos killings rises, Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election, has raised concern over the increasing spate of insecurity in many parts of the country.

    On the night of Wednesday, April 2, 2025, armed men invaded five communities in the Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, killing 10 people.

    By Thursday, over 40 bodies had been recovered in the Local Government Area as additional bodies were reportedly found.

    Reacting to the tragedy, Obi condemned the ‘senseless attacks’ on families in Bokkos communities.

    “I woke up this morning reading about yet another gory and deeply distressing report from Bokkos, Plateau State. Entire families have, again, been slaughtered in yet another senseless attack. Children and pregnant women were not spared.

    “Five communities in Bokkos, Mangor Tamiso, Daffo, Manguna, Hurti, and Tadai have been left in mourning, forced to bury their loved ones in mass graves.

    “How long will these killings, kidnapping, maiming and criminality continue in our nation that is not at war? How long must we wait to act decisively and focus on this drastic situation that is crippling our nation? How many more must die before the government act for the people?” he queried.

    The former Governor of Anambra State said killings and kidnapping are becoming normal occurrences, adding that insecurity is so rife in the country that Nigerians now live in fear.

    “We are now normalizing mass killings and mass burials as a way of life in our nation. Every Nigerian life is sacred, whether in Edo State, Benue, Enugu, Borno, Anambra, Ondo, or Plateau.

    Communities now live in fear and no longer have a livelihood, either in their farms or in their markets, without being killed, kidnapped, and maimed. Communities like Bokkos in Plateau, Jato-Aka in Benue, Eha-Amufu in Enugu, Ufuma in Anambra, and Aba Oyinbo in Ondo deserve government protection,” Obi said.

    He, therefore, called on the Federal Government to “end this grief and terror, as this is becoming extremely unacceptable.”

    “The government and security agencies must ensure that these killings are stopped, concrete steps are made to prevent future occurrences, and those arrested face the justice they deserve,” he stated.

  • Tinubu’s achievements undeniable, APC replies Peter Obi

    Tinubu’s achievements undeniable, APC replies Peter Obi

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared that President Bola Tinubu’s government has recorded undeniable accomplishments, making opposition approval irrelevant.

    In a statement issued on Wednesday, APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, dismissed Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi’s assertions of superior leadership, labeling them as “overdramatic.”

    During an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme on Tuesday, Obi criticised

    Tinubu’s economic reforms, claiming he could have executed them more efficiently. He also blamed the Labour Party’s internal discord on the Tinubu administration.

    In response, Morka underscored the administration’s achievements, such as settling a $7 billion foreign exchange backlog and addressing over $30 billion in Ways and Means liabilities.

    He further highlighted the reduction of the debt service ratio from 98% to roughly 64% and the rise in oil production to over 1.8 million barrels per day—exceeding OPEC’s 1.5 million barrels per day benchmark for the first time in years.

    “To be honest, it was painful to watch Mr. Obi as he laboured in vain to cobble together any sensible critical economic argument in the face of the stark and undeniable record of progress of the administration’s economic reforms,” Morka stated.

    “Even Mr. Obi’s trademark opportunistic sensationalisation of transient difficulties that Nigerians have endured in patriotic support of the President’s bold and transformative economic plan availed no respite, as he floundered on national television, framing himself as a portrait of frustration and political desperation,” he added.

    “Mr. Obi’s favourite retort, ‘I would have done better as president,’ must be a symptom of a protracted bout of election failure-induced hangover from which he has not awakened to the reality that he is not the president. Like an unlicensed back seat driver that thinks himself to be a race car driver, Mr. Obi needs to tame his bloated and deluded imagination,” Morka said.

    “Opposition politics is not about denying the administration’s many successes. It is about critiquing what may be wrong but affirming what is right. It is not about wholesale condemnation that is only intended to mislead and score cheap political gains. The steady progress of the Tinubu administration across sectors is undeniable and evident for all Nigerians to see,” the statement read.

    The APC maintained that Tinubu remains focused on ensuring good governance and improving economic conditions for all Nigerians.

    “It is hysterical that Mr. Obi, who was governor of a failed and forgotten administration in Anambra state of only 21 local government areas, would so brazenly boast of his capacity to govern Africa’s largest democracy. Obi bequeathed a sordid legacy of economic stagnation, infrastructural decay, ecological disaster, and religious polarisation,” Morka stated.

    “Both as former Governor of Lagos State and now as President, Tinubu is a dogged achiever, bold and unwavering in tackling and transforming difficult challenges into opportunities. As he did for Lagos, President Tinubu is now doing for Nigeria with the economy rebounding steadily, posting productivity-enhanced trade surpluses in successive quarters, with a 3.6 percent economic growth forecasted for the current fiscal year; with a fast expanding foreign reserve; with revamped and operational local refineries; with food inflation on the decline; with a successful harmonisation of multiple exchange rates that now supports increased foreign direct investments and flow of remittances into the economy; and with a reasonably stable forex market,” he continued.

    “The administration also has posted in its success column the cleared $7 billion forex backlog, and Ways and Means debt of over $30 billion; with a reduced debt serving ratio from 98 percent to about 64 percent; with increased oil production in excess of 1.8 mbpd, surpassing the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) quota of 1.5 mbpd for the first time in many years; with a repositioned stock exchange market that is now one of the most profitable in the world; with a vastly expanding Agricultural, Mine and Steel, Manufacturing, Creative and several other sub-sectors of the economy, in a push to increase the non-oil contribution to GDP; and with the Chatham House only recently adjudging the nation’s economy as the most competitive it has been in 25 years,” he added.

    “Whereas global institutions and experts are applauding the unfolding silent economic revolution ably led by President Tinubu, Obi and his co-opposition drummers of empty partisan barrels continue to deny President Tinubu’s superlative and incomparable near mid-term successes and achievements,” Morka concluded.

  • Peter Obi lists five things he would have done differently as President

    Peter Obi lists five things he would have done differently as President

    Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, has again criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration, saying his government has not delivered on some of its promises to Nigerians.

    After almost two years of Tinubu administration, Obi believes the President has not made any visible impact on Nigerians.

    The ex-governor of Anambra State assessed the All Progressives Congress (APC) government in the evening of Tuesday, April 1, 2025, when he appeared on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme.

    Obi said that if he were president, he would have ensured that Nigerians saw considerable change in critical sectors.

    Highlighting some of the things he would have done differently, the LP chieftain said in two years, he would have tackled corruption and reduced the cost of governance in a manner that would be visible to Nigerians.

    “The President that is there today how many years has he spent, two years and you could see where we are. That means you can change things in two years. If I was there in two years, you would have seen a considerable change in critical areas. I would have tackled corruption head on. I would have reduced cost of governance and you would see it, people would feel it,” he said.

    Obi said his administration would have ensured that borrowed money was invested properly in healthcare, stressing that 70 percent of the sector is currently inoperative.

    “Our primary healthcare today, 70 percent (of it) are not functional and we spent over N35 billion on conference centre, which conference? who is coming for the conference? You need to invest your money properly, You would have been seeing borrowed money invested in critical areas,” he submitted.

    Citing Banglandesh as an example, the ex-governor said his administration would use Nigeria’s land size to turn it into a rice-producing country.

    “In Bangladesh, a country with one 148,000 km² of land is producing about 60 million metric tons of rice and us, with over six times that size of land cannot do 10 percent of that,” Obi said.

    Lastly, Obi agreed with President Tinubu’s devaluation of the naira; however, he faulted the manner in which the policy was implemented.

    He said if he were the President, he would have floated the naira in an organised manner, adding that floating the currency is meant to support productivity.

    He said, “There’s nothing wrong in devaluation, but I would have allowed the naira to float but I would have done it in an organised manner. There will be productivity. The idea of devaluing your currency, allowing it to float is that you have productivity so you can export, so people can come and buy.”

    According to him, floating the naira without productivity is a double whammy.

  • State of emergency in Rivers, Fubara’s removal undemocratic – Peter Obi

    State of emergency in Rivers, Fubara’s removal undemocratic – Peter Obi

    The 2023 Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has described the declaration of state of emergency in Rivers as undemocratic.

    In a reaction on his X handle on Wednesday, Obi said that the action was against the rule of law, and capable of undermining Nigeria’s democracy.

    Obi said that it was grossly unconstitutional to remove a serving governor of a state through a unilateral declaration of state of emergency.

    He said that the situation was capable of undoing the progress the country had made in the past 26 years of its democratic journey.

    “The situation in Rivers does not justify such an extreme measure, it is also a biased interpretation of Section 305(1) of the 1999 constitution.

    “A state of emergency does not mean that an elected governor can be removed unilaterally.

    “The decision does not align with democratic norms and good governance. It appears to be a predetermined action serving specific interests rather than the collective good of Rivers people and Nigeria.

    “This action constitutes an unconstitutional overreach, setting a dangerous precedent that threatens democracy, the rule of law, and the separation of powers,” he said.

    Obi urged the National Assembly and all stakeholders not to allow the decision to stand in the interest of democracy and the wellbeing of Rivers people.

  • Rivers State of Emergency: Halt this impunity, Obi tells NASS, calls Tinubu’s action reckless

    Rivers State of Emergency: Halt this impunity, Obi tells NASS, calls Tinubu’s action reckless

    The 2023 Labour Party (LP) Presidential Candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has condemned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, calling it an unconstitutional and reckless move.

    Obi urged the National Assembly to intervene by withholding legislative support for what he described as an abuse of executive power.

    In a tweet on his X handle on Wednesday, Obi criticized the President’s decision and the subsequent removal of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, warning that such actions could foster a dangerous culture of impunity and weaken Nigeria’s democracy.

    He stated, **”The unilateral decision of President Bola Tinubu to remove Governor Siminalayi Fubara from office is not only unconstitutional but also reckless.

    “It has plunged us back into a state of lawlessness, undoing the progress we have made over 26 years of democratic governance.

    “By disregarding the rule of law, the President has shown a dangerous willingness to trample on democracy.

    “The declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State is not just reckless—it is a clear attempt to tighten his grip on power at all costs.

    “The situation does not justify such an extreme measure, and it is a biased interpretation of Section 305(1) of the 1999 Constitution.

    “A state of emergency does not grant the President the power to unilaterally remove an elected Governor. This action goes against democratic norms and good governance.

    “Instead, it appears to be a predetermined move serving specific interests rather than the collective good of Rivers State and Nigeria.

    “This unconstitutional overreach sets a dangerous precedent that threatens democracy, the rule of law, and the separation of powers. If left unchecked, it will entrench impunity in our political system.

    “Having already struggled with electoral irregularities, non-adherence to qualification rules, and massive rigging, adding the arbitrary removal of elected officials will push us closer to lawlessness and anarchy.

    “I appeal to the National Assembly and all stakeholders to resist this development. Allowing it to stand will only deepen the existing culture of impunity and brigandage that threatens our democracy.

    “A new Nigeria is possible.”

    Obi’s statement adds to the growing criticism of Tinubu’s decision, as political leaders, civil society groups, and legal experts debate its implications for governance and constitutional democracy.

  • Obi donates N20m to Colleges of Nursing in Ahiara and Ihiala

    Obi donates N20m to Colleges of Nursing in Ahiara and Ihiala

    The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general election, Mr Peter Obi, has donated N20 million to two Colleges of Nursing Sciences in Imo and Anambra states—Holy Rosary College of Nursing, Ogbe, in Ahiara Catholic Diocese, Mbaise, and the College of Nursing Sciences, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Ihiala.

    During his visit to both institutions on Friday, the former Governor of Anambra State presented a cheque of N10 million to each college. At the Holy Rosary College of Nursing, he handed over the cheque to the Bishop of Ahiara Diocese, Most Rev Simeon Nwobi, at the construction site of the college. Similarly, at Our Lady of Lourdes, Ihiala, he presented the donation to the Students’ Union Government (SUG) President, Miss Anigbo Chisom Mary, in the presence of hundreds of excited students.

    In his remarks, Obi underscored the significance of his donation, stressing that healthcare and education are critical to national development and the well-being of citizens. Commending the Catholic Diocese of Ahiara for embarking on the college of nursing project, he described it as a vital contribution to securing a better future for Nigeria. “My Lords, what you are doing is a great service to our country,” Obi said. “This donation is not a favour to you, but a recognition of your efforts in nation-building. I will always support this project because it is about securing a better future for our country.”

    Obi further stated that the government must prioritise quality education, including the prompt payment of teachers’ salaries. He emphasised the need for free and accessible education at the primary and secondary levels, both in public and private schools. He assured that he would continue to support the colleges of nursing to ensure they become centres of excellence in training healthcare professionals who will contribute to national development.

    Expressing his gratitude, Bishop Nwobi commended Obi for his relentless commitment to building a better Nigeria. “We are deeply grateful for this generous donation,” the bishop said. “You have been doing so much for our country, and we continue to pray for God’s will to be done in your life.” He also confirmed that the college would officially commence operations next year and invited Obi to attend the opening ceremony.

    Speaking on the sidelines, Very Rev. Fr Okoro revealed that the college’s construction began in late 2021 and, in addition to nursing and midwifery, would also offer courses in pharmacy, cardiology, and laboratory sciences.

    At Our Lady of Lourdes, Ihiala, SUG President Miss Anigbo Chisom Mary, speaking on behalf of her fellow students, expressed gratitude to Obi for his unwavering support. “You have always shown us compassion and care,” she said. “You are our role model, and we will not let you down.”

  • Doyin Okupe desired better Nigeria, Obi mourns

    Doyin Okupe desired better Nigeria, Obi mourns

    Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has expressed sadness over the death of his former campaign director-general, Doyin Okupe.

    A native of Iperu-Remo in the Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State, Okupe died early Friday in Lagos at age 72.

    The deceased was Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Olusegun Obasanjo and Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to President Goodluck Jonathan.

    He was also a former Director-General of Obi’s 2023 Presidential Campaign.

    In a statement shared on X, Obi said Okupe desired a better Nigeria and that his death was a profound loss to the country.

    “With great sadness this morning, I received the shocking news of the death of my dear elder brother, Dr. Doyin Okupe. On behalf of the family and the Obidient family, I sincerely mourn his passing,” he wrote.

    “Dr. Okupe was an active figure in the nation’s political space and a man who desired a better Nigeria.

    “His death is a profound loss – not only to his family and loved ones but to all of us.”

    Obi urged his supporters to pray for the eternal repose of Okupe’s soul and to remember his family at this difficult time.

    In December 2022, Okupe stepped down from Obi’s campaign after being convicted of breaching some parts of the money laundering acts.

    Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu presiding over the case found Okupe guilty of contravening sections 16(1)&(2) of the Money Laundering Act and accepting cash in excess of the threshold allowed under the Act without going through a financial institution.

    He later resigned from the Labour Party following the 2023 general election fallout and became a vocal supporter of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, frequently engaging in political debates and commentary.

  • I would have defeated Sanwo-Olu but for Peter Obi’s tsunami – Jandor

    I would have defeated Sanwo-Olu but for Peter Obi’s tsunami – Jandor

    Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, has claimed that if not for the “Peter Obi effect,” he would have emerged victorious over Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the 2023 Lagos State governorship election.

    Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Tuesday, the former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate argued that the unexpected surge of support for the Labour Party (LP) in Lagos shifted the political landscape, making it difficult for the PDP to compete effectively.

    “The 2023 election came with this tsunami that nobody ever expected, and it was there for everybody to see,” Jandor said.

    He explained that after Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) won the February 2023 presidential election in Lagos, the dynamics of the governorship poll, held weeks later, drastically changed against the PDP.

    Recall the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the governorship election with 762,134 votes. Labour Party’s Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour finished second with 312,329 votes, while Jandor came third with 62,449 votes.

    Jandor insisted that, before the presidential election, PDP was in a strong position and actively challenging the ruling APC.

    “Before the general election, we were on the streets of Lagos, and the ruling party was nowhere to be found. We had several debates, and he (Sanwo-Olu) didn’t show up; he even said he didn’t want to share a stage with me,” Jandor recalled.

    “The 2023 election had its own dynamics. It was a two-horse race until the presidential election. If you look at what happened, Peter Obi came first in Lagos, Asiwaju came second, and Atiku came third.

    “The moment that happened, there was this belief that if we do this, we can get this state off XYZ. So, we were victims of that political wave.

    “Each time I address my people, I tell them: look, we did everything, but that wave came and swallowed the whole thing; nobody saw that coming.”

    Despite his disappointment, Jandor expressed confidence that, without the “Obi effect,” he might have won the governorship election. However, he acknowledged that “it wasn’t God’s time yet” for him to become governor.

    His political career began in the APC, where he led the Lagos4Lagos Movement before defecting to the PDP in 2022. He emerged as the party’s governorship candidate but recently left the PDP, citing internal sabotage.

    “We were waiting to see if the party at the national level, governed by its constitution, would take action against those engaged in anti-party activities. We waited patiently for two years, but instead of enforcing sanctions, the same person was appointed Vice Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee,” he said.

    Looking ahead, Jandor revealed that he is open to joining another political party to pursue his 2027 governorship ambition.