Former chairman, Lagos State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Captain Tunji Selleh (rtd), said on Saturday that the party is set to take over from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, come 2023, declaring that the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is defeatable.
Selleh made this declaration while speaking at the PDP state secretariat, Shogunle, Ikeja, at the launch of a foundation tagged: RMD Foundation, established by a chieftain of the party and its candidate for State House of Assembly in last general election, Hon. Olumuyiwa Owadara.
Speaking at the event, which earlier in the day witnessed a “PDP Reunion Unity Cup that took place at the Police College Football Field and later a get-together party, with chieftains from across the country in attendance, Selleh described Asiwaju Tinubu as the PDP’s albatross in Lagos, saying he was the one stopping the party’s victory in the state for the past 20 years.
The PDP chieftain gave kudos to the promoter of the foundation for his efforts, even as he described the day’s event as a new beginning for the party in Lagos, pointing out that it was an initiative to bring members together and unite them through youth spirit found in football.
“The day’s event is an initiative by somebody to bring people together and unite and strengthen them.
“Anything you start with football, it is youth spirit that draws people together in a common cause.
“Tinubu is our albatross in Lagos PDP, he is defeatable if all of us can do this awareness, through football at levels, we have over 200 wards in Lagos,” he said.
Selleh, who revealed that there were five million untapped votes in Lagos, urged other chieftains of PDP to also follow the footsteps of the Hon. Owadara, by reaching out to youths in the state, who he said were more in love with the party, to ensure the party got more registered in their minds, to ensure victory for it come 2023.
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“I can now throw a challenge to every individual here to do like RMD, if we do it weekly, it is not much, it would make PDP register more in the minds of the people of Lagos,” Selleh said.
Also speaking, Vice Chairman of Lagos PDP (Central), Alhaji Segun Shonde, buttressed Selleh’s position, saying the party chairman, Engr. Deji Doherty, was on a mission to ensure that PDP takes over the state in the next general election in 2023.
Shonde, who expressed delight at the efforts put together by the organisers of the event to raise the visibility of PDP in Lagos as well as past efforts made by Selleh that made the party win six House of Representatives and eight state House of Assembly seats under his chairmanship, said there was nothing as good as making the PDP win and form the next government in the state.
According to him, this would enable the party to address on a larger scale the need of Lagosians who he said were yearning for a better life.
Speaking earlier, Owadara described PDP as a peaceful party and a platform available for youths to come and showcase their talents, youthfulness, strength, among others.
The PDP chieftain, who lamented that lack of unity was the bane of the party in the state, called for a stop to wranglings within the fold, declaring that unity of fewer against a larger group of disunited people was a winning factor any day for the united front.
“Leaders are not our problem, it is the followers. Let the leaders sit down and settle their problems among themselves,” he said.
“But for the followers, let’s stop putting petrol in the fire. If there is problem, the leaders know how to solve it. If they solved their problem, where would you followers put your face?” he queried.