Defection: Our admonition to Lagos-4-Lagos movement fell on deaf ears — APC 

By Moses Adeniyi

The All Progressives Congress, APC, Lagos chapter, has said it’s admonition to the Lagos-4-Lagos Movement, a faction group from the party, to play by the rules of the party and the Lagos demographic and political character fell into deaf ears.

The party maintained that all efforts to make overtures to engender lasting reconciliation were rebuffed since the group didn’t include a gubernatorial ticket for their leader.

“Our admonition to the group that their brand of politics which harps on sectionalism and discrimination of a whole lot of Lagosians who have no other place to call home were alien to our progressive party fell on deaf ears,” the party said in a statement on Sunday.

The Lagos-4-Lagos group had on Saturday, announced its decision to join the main opposition in Lagos, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over irreconcilable differences.

In a Sunday statement by it’s Publicity Secretary, Seye Oladejo, the APC, described the group as a desperate one  “that is desperate for a home and power.”

The Party claimed its suspicion of the group acting as a mole in the ruling Lagos APC has come to pass with the development.

The party however said though the faction has declared its resolve to join the opposition, yet its doors were still open “to receive and rehabilitate them, true to the proven characters of our leaders, after burning their fingers as expected.”

The statement read in part: “Our attention has been drawn to the purported decision of the recently formed Lagos for Lagos group in APC to declare for the PDP.

“We acknowledge the constitutional right of the leaders and members of the group to associate with any party of their choice without sparing a thought for morals, principles, antecedents, perennial history of political defeats and inconsistency in their selling point.

“We watched with utter amusement and amazement as they were received by a symbol of democracy, in their own reckoning, a proven fighter against godfatherism who literally turned his state to his fiefdom before the revolution of the people burst his bubble.

“It’s such an irony to the well-mouthed battle cry by the group against godfatherism and undemocratic practices that they chose a curious personality as their political undertaker.

“Perhaps it’s a case of an expired and foreign godfather posing less danger to a group that is desperate for a home and power.

“It is important to note that our suspicion of the group acting as a mole in the ruling Lagos APC has come to pass.

“During their short stint, they were perpetually rabble-rousing, ungovernable and would only live by their own set of rules and regulations.

“All efforts to make overtures to engender lasting reconciliation were rebuffed since it didn’t include a gubernatorial ticket for their leader.

“Our admonition to the group that their brand of politics which harps on sectionalism and discrimination of a whole lot of Lagosians who have no other place to call home were alien to our progressive party fell on deaf ears.

“It’s also interesting and contradictory to note that their leader is also a god-father of some sort who also emerged as their leader without any electoral conduct.

“He continues to mislead his largely misguided followers for his selfish ambition. We note with keen interest the confirmation of the new godfather of their long period of association and their boast to win the next elections.

“Perhaps they need to be reminded that Lagos state has always been a progressive state even in the face of well-orchestrated threats and power play.

“Their new hosts should be honest enough to tell them that losing elections since the advent of democratic governance has been their lot which they have accepted as their destiny.

“We also note their assurance to resurrect the PDP in Lagos which no doubt is uncomplimentary to their new soulmates.

“We want to congratulate them for finally finding a home in a homeless party. However, our doors in APC remain open to receive and rehabilitate them, true to the proven characters of our leaders, after burning their fingers as expected.

“I guess the transfer season towards 2023 elections has commenced in earnest. We will meet at the polls and I can assure you that Lagos state APC  remains undaunted by a group whose departure is good riddance to bad rubbish.

“Our party will definitely not be distracted as we continue to support our government to finish strongly.”