‘Agbaje’s attitude ruined PDP’s chances in Lagos’

The Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, Mr Taofik Gani, spoke with Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN on the leadership crisis rocking the chapter, particularly the disbursement of campaign funds, the party’s poor performance in the recent elections and its preparation for 2023.

Why did Lagos PDP perform poorly in the recent general elections?

I will not we had a poor outing. We were overwhelmed by the power of the ruling party, the APC, in Lagos State. They were extremely prepared to retain the state. There was no opportunity to improve on our campaign modus operandi, because of the overbearing or influence and control that the ruling party has over ordinary public opinion public moulders and many of the electorates.

Specifically, we were faced with situations where we could not get to campaign or reach out to people in some areas. For instance, some royal fathers and chiefs were very hostile to many of our candidates for fear of being witch-hunted by the ruling party. Indeed, some government functionaries and royal fathers were bold enough to give support to some of our candidates. But, generally what played out was obvious desperate preparedness and bulldozer-like style of the APC in Lagos which overwhelmed our own planning.

Unfortunately, the Lagos APC has experienced political haemorrhage and relaxation when few weeks to the start of real campaign, our state chairman, Mr Moshood Salvador, left the party. He left with some party members and we believe strongly that he left behind some party members who must have undermined the possible victory of the PDP in their areas. I will not be honest to myself and the party to brush aside the implication of a party state chairman defecting to the ruling party just few weeks to an election.

The Lagos PDP also suffered defeat for inexplicable reasons, because everything was in place for the victory. I say specifically that our presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, gave maximum support morally, financially, religiously and politically to Lagos PDP.  We even got to know that Alhaji Atiku visited Lagos several times without some party leaders in Lagos being aware, all in the bid to reach out and get the support of all groups and interests.

To my surprise, just about 72 hours to the presidential election, actions and inactions that were obviously reactionary and defeatist cropped up. I will say that the last straw that broke the camel’s back was the happenings in the last 72 hours wherein the PDP governorship candidate, Mr Jimi Agbaje, alienated some members and leaders of the party from the final disbursement of logistics. This action consequently reflected in the participation of voters for the PDP.

Indeed the loss of Lagos in the presidential election as declared by INEC caused apathy, disenchantment and demoralised PDP voters. Hence, the embarrassing results in the governorship election. It is important to mention that the Lagos PDP is willing and competent to defeat the APC any day in a free, fair and credible election.

Agbaje said he refused to hand-over the campaign fund to party leaders because of the way such funds were mismanaged in the past. What is your comment?

If Agbaje is still trying to rationalise his apparent misdeed, then, he is not doing himself any good. I will advise him to accept that he committed a big blunder to have unilaterally disbursed logistics provided by the presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to the extent that neither the state chairman, Dr Adegbola Dominic, nor the party leader, Chief Bode George, knew anything about the manner of disbursement. I’m also aware that other leaders like Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, Chief Mrs Aduke Maina and Senator Kofo Bucknor-Akerele are still shocked that Agbaje could be that unilateral.

As the image maker of the party, I’m still struggling to defend the issues surrounding the disbursement of the election logistics, because the action was such that can destroy loyalty, commitment and selflessness top the party. I will reiterate that Agbaje should find a forum to publicly apologise to the party for the manner he influenced the last actions of the presidential elections. But, for the fact that Agbaje is the governorship candidate, one would have hastily declared him as a saboteur in Lagos PDP.

The money in question was not near what we knew the APC spent in Lagos. But the sum was enough to compliment the ready-made votes for the PDP. The manner of disbursement adopted by Agbaje leaves much to be desired. The problems created by the recent governorship election in Lagos PDP are such that the national headquarters must act swiftly to forestall complete disaffection within the party. Lagosians have been disappointed. Efforts must be made to restore the love and confidence of Lagosians in PDP.

Do you think the PDP will ever rule Lagos?

One thing that is certain is that Lagos PDP will win Lagos one day. This 2019 was to be the day, but unfortunately we lost out. I’m very optimistic that the circumstance that should have made the PDP win in 2019 will get worse in the APC in 2023. There will be worse intra party crisis in the APC. The governor-elect, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, may not also be allowed to run for second term. So, many APC members will stand up to be counted and be ready to go against the leader of the party. These and many more issues that we keep to our chest will arise in the APC, so much that by 2021 the APC would have self-defeated itself. And, in 2023, the PDP will cruise to victory. We will have our own challenges, but we will be lucky because the defeat of the APC in 2023 will most likely be self-perpetrated.

Who is the current chairman of Lagos PDP?

There is no other personality to be recognised as the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State than Dr Adegbola Dominic. Anybody who is still parading himself as Lagos PDP chairman is only playing the role of an agent provocateur. The authority and chairmanship of Dr Dominic has since being confirmed by the superior organs of the party like PDP Southwest zone and the national leadership. I will advise anyone who is interested in the office to wait till when the congress comes up. People should not allow themselves to be used as weapons of acrimony and destruction within the Lagos PDP.

But, Mr. Segun Adewale says he is the authentic chairman…

Segun Adewale is not recognised as chairman of Lagos PDP. The Southwest organ of the party has unequivocally affirmed that Dr Dominic is the authentic Chairman. The Southwest organ said Adewale is no longer a member of the PDP, because he contested the Ekiti State governorship election on the platform of African Democratic Party (ADP). I know that on return after Ekiti election, Adewale was assigned the role of coordinator of the Lagos West senatorial district by Mr Jimi Agbaje, the party’s governorship candidate. This responsibility was however outside the knowledge of the state executive of the party. I also got to know of this after the election.

Some members see Chief Bode George as the problem of Lagos PDP. What do you think?

They may have their reasons. No man is perfect. Much I know about Chief Bode George is that he is a thorough manager of humans. He is a very meticulous organiser. I make bold to say that but for him, a lot of party members would have left the PDP. The mistake that is common in the PDP is the inability of members to appreciate that to defeat an army you go for the commander. The propaganda, the blackmail and the mudslinging against Chief George is because he is the commander that must be brought down to defeat the army. Unfortunately for PDP members they have not realised that it is the organised opposition that is behind the “bad name” about Chief Bode George. The management of Lagos PDP is 85 per cent financially supported by Chief George. Yet, he did not get desperate to control election funds or any fund so ever. So, how is Chief George to blame for the woes of the party? The reason why Lagos has always slipped from the PDP is because the leader of the ruling party in Lagos, Senator Bola Tinubu, is surrounded by lieutenants that are 100 per cent loyal to him. The leader of the APC has at his disposal the wealth that cannot be matched by the self-generated money of Chief George. Lagos has always experienced minimum of 50 per cent sabotage of its election plans. I made bold to say that PDP members from outside Lagos, especially Abuja, usually divulge our plans to the ruling party in Lagos. Very soon, we will reel out names and periods of these saboteurs and sabotage.