Sanwo-Olu calls for APC unity as Jandor inaugurates support group for Tinubu, Hamzat

Dr Abdul-Azeez Adediran (Jandor), the Lead Visioner, Lagos4Lagos Movement, on Thursday inaugurated a political support group for President Bola Tinubu and Lagos governorship candidate Obafemi Hamzat ahead of 2027 general elections.

It was reported that the inauguration of JANDOR Support Group for PBAT-KOH 2027, held at Ikeja, attracted APC leaders, local government chairmen, traditional rulers and members of the Lagos4Lagos Movement.

Adediran, the group’s Lead Visioner, said the initiative was to fulfil his pledge to support whoever emerged as the APC governorship candidate in Lagos after the party’s primary election.

“During the contest for the governorship ticket of our great party in Lagos State, we made a solemn commitment that whoever the party eventually settled for would receive our unalloyed support, with all the resources at our disposal.

“That declaration was not made casually. It was a statement of our belief in party supremacy, internal democracy, discipline and the greater interest of our political family.

“We are therefore here today to honour that promise,” he said.

Adediran said the group would mobilise grassroots support for Tinubu, Hamzat and other APC candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections, stressing that it would complement, rather than compete with the party’s main campaign council.

“Let me state this unequivocally: JANDOR Support Group for PBAT-KOH is a complementary mobilisation structure, not a parallel campaign council.

“We are not setting up another authority to compete with the existing one. We are building additional hands to support a common mission.

“Wherever the party requires us to collaborate, we shall collaborate. Wherever our grassroots network can help to extend the campaign’s reach, we shall do so,” he said.

He explained that the support group structure comprised an advisory council, state, senatorial, local government area (LGA), local council development area (LCDA) and ward coordinators, alongside two representatives per polling unit.

Adediran urged members to take the campaign to markets, motor parks, religious communities, professional associations, youth organisations, homes and workplaces, while engaging voters peacefully and addressing their concerns.

“We shall persuade, not intimidate; engage, not insult; and mobilise, not antagonise. Our polling-unit representatives, in particular, will play a crucial role.

“They must understand their communities, identify the issues that matter to residents, maintain regular contact with voters and ensure that our campaign remains visible and responsive at the grassroots,” he said.

The former APC governorship aspirant disclosed that the initiative would be self-sponsored, with members contributing personal resources to support its activities.

Meanwhile, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly the Lagos APC Chairman Cornelius Ojelabi and other APC leaders took turns to commend Adediran’s commitment to the party.

Sanwo-Olu, represented by Mr Tayo Ayinde, the Chief of Staff to the governor Coordinator, Support Groups for Tinubu and the Renewed Hope Ambassadors in Lagos, commended Adediran for bringing his political supporters together and aligning his structure with the APC campaign.

Sanwo-Olu, who applauded the huge turnout, said it demonstrated the organisation behind the initiative.

“I am happy with the number that I see here today. I thank Jandor (Adediran) for bringing this together and for accepting that the party is greater.

“Today, a movement that has built its base for nine years is collapsing into the party to work for the victory of President Bola Tinubu, that of Dr Obafemi Hamzat and those of other candidates of the party,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu said the group’s grassroots network could contribute to the APC’s target of securing three million votes in Lagos, urging coordinators to engage residents, listen to their complaints and explain the party’s programmes.

“To every coordinator and polling-unit leader, mobilise the people, respect the party, work as one team and work for the party.

“Get close to the people, listen to their complaints and explain what we are doing to ensure that things get better from 2027,” he said.

Describing continuity as the central theme of the party’s campaign in Lagos, Sanwo-Olu said that Hamzat’s experience in the state administration would help sustain ongoing projects and programmes.

He commended Adediran for pledging support after Hamzat emerged as the party’s candidate.

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, also commended Adediran for bringing party members together, saying the initiative would fulfil his promise to integrate his political structure into the APC.

“What we are doing is to fulfil the promise of our brother to collapse his structure into the party.

“It is only when you perform that you will give glory to what Jandor is doing. Nothing should stop us from performing,” Obasa said.

Also speaking, the State APC Chairman, Mr Cornelius Ojelabi, commended Adediran, saying his decision to support the APC after contesting its governorship ticket demonstrated commitment to the party and the democratic process.

“I want to thank Jandor for what he is doing today, despite the fact that he contested for the office of the governor at the primary. The path Jandor has chosen is to deepen democracy in the state,” he said.

Ojelabi urged the group to mobilise across the state’s 245 electoral wards and 57 local government and local council development areas, engaging community development associations and other grassroots stakeholders.

Former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, described Adediran as a man of substance and called for unity among APC members, noting that the former aspirant had continued supporting the party despite not securing its governorship ticket.

The Chairman of Conference 57 and Chairman of Ibeju-Lekki LCDA, Mr Sesan Olowa, speaking on behalf of the 20 local governments and 37 LCDAs, pledged cooperation with the group to mobilise support for Tinubu, Hamzat and other APC candidates.

Mrs Funke Ijaiyekunle, Central Coordinator of the JANDOR PBAT/KOH Support Group assured that the group would leave no stone unturned in galvanisinf support and mobilising votes from across the 13, 325 polling units in the state for Tinubu, Hamzat and other APC candidates.

NAN reports that the event was attended by leaders and members of the Lagos4Lagos movement as well as APC, community and traditional leaders.