The Lagos west senatorial candidate, Otunba Segun Adewale (Aeroland) has written an open letter to Mr. Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi popularly called ‘BOG’ not to leave the People’s Democractic Party for a little known labour party.
Adewale in his letter said “Moving to Labour party is akin to aiding APC to win the election. It is a simple fact that majority of the leaders/promoters of Labour(Obi, Doyin Okupe e.t.c) and their supporters were former members of the PDP.
With a weak national spread, the Labour party would only at best deplete the overall voting strength of the PDP against its closest rival, APC.”
Read below the complete letter.
“Open Letter to BOG
Dear BOG,
Having read your letter wherein you stated your decision to quit our dear party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and your subsequent decision to join the Labour Party, I feel obliged to offer my two cents as a good brother.
My conviction then and even till today is that your brand of politics driven by ideas and uncommon passion to see a better Lagos drew me and many admirers(especially the youths)to you.
The fact that you gave a good showing in the 2019 Guber election against political heavyweights like the incumbent and our party’s flag bearer at the poll clearly was clearly indicative of your political value despite running on a relatively unknown political platform.
It was on this premise that I also felt it was the best decision for the party to give you. Though you had limited funding from the party, the fact that you had just returned to the party also did not help matters. Despite losing the election, my take away from your showing on those two elections were that you were the new kid on the block for our party.
It was therefore shocking for me to read your letter announcing your decision to leave our party to join the Labour party. Let me state clearly that I have nothing against the Labour party or its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who was my former leader in the PDP. While it is your fundamental right to change political affiliation, however, I would like your consider the following reasons on why you should have a rethink.
1. It is an indisputable fact that the Labour party does not have the national spread like the dominant parties i.e APC & PDP. Besides, constitutional provision of majority votes in 2/3 of the states(24 states)makes it herculean for small parties like Labour with poor or no showing in the North, to win the presidency. Let us assume that Labour wins all it’s likely stronghold like South South(6 states) & South East (5 states) totalling 11 states, it would still fall fall very short of the constitutional provision.
2. Despite its spartan posture and echoed by chants of ” We no dey give Shi Shi” by its supporters, the Labour party Guber form goes for #25 million Naira while that of the PDP was sold for #20 million, a far cry from APC’s #50 million. In fact, small parties like Labour party have latched in on the crisis of the big parties to make money from the decampees.
3..The hysteria around the Labour party and Obi is a welcome development in our democratic experience. It takes time to effect change in a democracy through political movements. Such desired change by the teeming supporters of Obi may not come within a short period of 6 months. My candid opinion is that if the current momentum is sustained, the Obi presidency will come in the near future.
3. The ruling APC has built an endemic systemic bottleneck at every phase of the democratic process that requires tact, experience and wits to destroy and the wherewithal can only be found in a strong party like the PDP. The recent Osun Election readily comes to mind as the smaller parties could only watch as the PDP foot soldiers checkmated the APC at every likely point of malfeasance.
4. Moving to Labour party is akin to aiding APC to win the election. It is a simple fact that majority of the leaders/promoters of Labour(Obi, Doyin Okupe e.t.c) and their supporters were former members of the PDP.
With a weak national spread, the Labour party would only at best deplete the overall voting strength of the PDP against its closest rival, APC.
5. The APC is a common enemy which all like minds should come together to fight. Despite the current challenges in the PDP, it is better and safer to close ranks and work with other small parties to defeat the common enemy at the state and federal level.
6. Coming closer home in Lagos, the Labour party is virtually non-existent. In fact, in my ward in Alimosho, I have been asking to know where they hold their meetings but no one knows. Same goes for other Local Governments in Lagos.
My good brother, BOG, my decision to write you is borne out of the fact that I have always believed that our party needs all hands to be on deck to fight and defeat the APC. Your past sacrifices, commitment is about to yield the desired fruit in 2023. We are stronger, together.”
My best regards,
Signed
Segun Adewale(Aeroland)
PDP Lagos West Senatorial Candidate
