By Augustine Akhilomen

The former governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos State, Dr Abdul-Azeez Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, has made a sensational return to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He made this known on Monday during a press conference at his office in Ikeja, Lagos.

Addressing concerns about his earlier exit from the ruling party, he likened his experience to a Yoruba adage about learning from different situations.

He said, “Our story in the PDP was a case of working with perennial political saboteurs but we have resolved to love our future much more than we hate our past.

“After extensive consultations with family, political associates, elder statesmen, supporters, and well-meaning Lagosians who share our vision for a greater and more prosperous Lagos, and in identifying that the primary reason a political party exists is to win elections and ultimately form the government to contribute to the welfare, security and total development of the people, we wish to formally announce that we have decided to join a political party that considers winning for its members as top priority, not minding who is on the ballot.

“We have decided to return to the All Progressives Congress.”

“Before you are quick to remind me of the reasons upon which we left APC in the first place, let me respond with a popular Yoruba adage that says if a woman has not tried two husbands, she probably would not know which is better.

“In APC, we have a leader, even if you fault his selection choices, you can’t fault his desire to always win for his party to the benefit of all members, followers and the state.

“While in Lagos PDP, you have a leader that will, at every election cycle work against his own party, and willfully dash the hopes of many party members and followers. We have chosen the better alternative,” he stated.

He added, “Our return to the APC is not a decision made lightly. It is a reflection of our unwavering commitment to the progress of Lagos State and our belief that unity among progressives is essential to achieving the collective aspirations of our people.”

He acknowledged the efforts of President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, and Tinubu’s son, Seyi Tinubu, in persuading him to rejoin the APC.

Jandor stated, “Let me once again extend our sincere gratitude to the President and the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who recognized our modest contributions to democracy and nation building.

“I must also recognize the relentless efforts of the Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, who has been on our case for over one year to return ‘home’, and join hands with Mr. President.

“Upon hearing the news of my resignation from the PDP, the President’s son, Mr. Seyi Tinubu immediately put a call across to say “Egbon, this is the time to come back home.” Prior to that time, Seyi had exhibited the learnings he has had from the best and reached out, asking for support for the administration of his father, the President. What more can a father ask for.”

Jandor assured his supporters that the move was in Lagos’ best interest and urged them to join him in the new political chapter.

“We remain committed to the values of service, integrity, and progress. Together, we will continue to champion the cause of a better Lagos for present and future generations,” he said.

With talks about coalition brewing ahead of the 2027 election, former Labour Party (LP) presidential campaign spokesman Kenneth Okonkwo says he will support a fresh southerner or northerner who is willing to vacate office after a four-year single tenure.

He hinged his decision on equity and fairness to both northern and southern regions of the country, in line with the unwritten rule of rotational presidency.

“Everybody should come together. It is something that can be discussed. Who is going to do four years is going to influence who I am going to support because I still believe in equity and justice,” Okonkwo said on the Sunday edition of Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political programme aired on Channels Television.

The lawyer, who dumped the Labour Party in February 2025, said he is open to joining the coalescing coalition to trounce President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next poll.

Talks about a coalition have been gaining momentum of late and were heightened by the defection of former Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai from the APC to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

El-Rufai has been pictured with the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, amongst other powerbrokers in the opposition. Like El-Rufai, Okonkwo recently met with Atiku, saying Nigeria needs cooperation to defeat the ruling APC in the next poll.

Okonkwo described the APC government as incompetent, saying the opposition must put up a formidable front to wrest power from the incumbent in the next election.

He said, “My game plan is simple. If the opposition is serious about wresting power from this incompetent government, they must all come together and act like one because that was what APC did in 2013 and that was what helped them to wrest power in 2015.

“I believe in coalition. When I was leaving, I said I am open to discussions with every group to consolidate the opposition so that we can take out this government.”

The lawyer described the 2027 election as complicated and complex but said the coalition could discuss the modalities for victory in the poll.

Okonkwo said, “2027 is one of the most complicated and complex times in the political history of Nigeria because we have this gentleman’s agreement – eight years in the South, eight years in the North.

“Now, when an incumbent is not doing well, and in the middle of his tenure, it is a very difficult thing to change or to project what will happen.

“Would you say you want to get a fresh person from the South? The North will say that means he will do another eight years. They will be scared, and politicians are not very good at being trusted.

“Would you allow an incompetent government to continue just because you want to sacrifice the whole of Nigeria? Just because you want to leave an incumbent government to finish eight years?

“Would you say let it go to the North when it has just been four years in the South? The South would say you are short-changing us. So, it is a very complicated thing.

“The best thing if politicians were to be trusted is to have a free, fair primary where every qualified person, whether South or North, would partake in it. And whoever would emerge would agree to do four years, whether from the South or the North.

“If he [northerner) does four years, it would have been shared between North and South – four years each, and then it returns to the South.

“Then if a Southern person, a fresh person wins, he will do only four years to complete the eight years. Then, it will go to the north, where it will spend eight years.

“So, if the north agrees that the person there now is not doing well but it is not yet our turn but we can do four years – if the person emerges from the free and fair elections because if you begin to regiment it and say he won’t do primary, then it will be a selective thing, not democratic.

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has dismissed the idea of a possible future merger, and has urged former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, and others to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

This was following his resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC) on March 10, citing a misalignment of values with the ruling party.

In a recent interview with BBC Hausa, El-Rufai pleaded with the politicians to join SDP to defeat President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

The Presidency on Friday, had said that the 2027 general election was not Tinubu’s current focus, but how to improve the economic conditions of every Nigerian.

Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications, Sunday in a statement on X on Friday, said “President Tinubu is not worried about the next election. He’s worried about the shared prosperity that he can bring to Nigerians.

“He’s worried about how the reforms he has put in place will yield necessary impact. He is concerned about what happens to the economy of this country eventually. That’s the focus. “We’ve seen our foreign reserves go up. We’ve seen inflation come down. We’ve seen our trade surplus go up.

“We’ve seen exports go up and imports drop.

“We’ve seen the investments that have been attracted -over 50 billion. We are seeing prices dropping.

“We have clear data and you have a President that is clearly in the driver’s seat, and he has stayed the course of the decisions he has taken.

“And I think that the next election is not really in his view right now.

“It’s how to make sure that at the end of his first term, he can sit back and say, look, “I have impacted the lives of Nigerians. I have turned this economy around”.

However, El-Rufai during the interview with the BBC, called on the trio of Obi, Abubakar and Aregbesola to form a political alliance with him towards the 2027 elections.

“My wishes and prayers are Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Rauf, all opposition leaders to come and join SDP, not to do a merger or to register a new political party,” he said.

“What pains me is that the government we supported and had confidence in would do well because we saw what Tinubu did in Lagos despite his challenges,” he said.

“We all know about his issues in Chicago, but we thought if he could replicate his work in Lagos for Nigeria, let’s support him. However, he failed.”

El-Rufai clarified that his presidential political ambition in 2027, would depend on the party and the will of the people.

“It is not for me to decide; it is the party and the people that will decide. Even when I was contesting for governor, it was people that met and convinced (Muhammadu) Buhari, and he called me and asked me to contest,” he said.