By ADEYEMI ADELEYE

The governorship candidates of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Mr. Mode Adenipebi, and Action Peoples Party (APP), Mrs. Abiola Adeyemi in Lagos State, have denied endorsing PDP Candidate, Dr. Abdul-Azeez Adediran (Jandor) for 2023 general elections.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the duo were reported to have purpotedly stepped down their ambitions and endorsed Adediran, after a news conference by the Conference of Registered and Deregistered Political Parties (CPP) in Lagos state on Monday, which they belonged to.

The duo, at a news conference held at the Lagos State Secretariat of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) said that neither them nor executives of their parties were present at the news conference by the CPP to give such endorsement.

Speaking, Adenipebi said: “My attention has been drawn to the report making the rounds that I have stepped down forAdediran.

I have to debunk this. It is not true, it cannot be true and it can never be true. I am fully active in the race.

“I am tightening my mobilisation, consultation and campaign. I am ready to win the governorship election in 2023. My party is ready to form the new government in the state.

“On that basis, I will not step down for thePDP candidate, I have not stepped down and I will never step down.”

Adenipebi said that he was not a founding member of the CPP but was added to the group based on his political popularity and strength.

He saidthe purpose of the CPP was for all candidates to come together and reason among themselves so as to support the best candidate in the 2023 governorship election.

“We are supposed to meet to look at the credibility of each candidate and pick the best. I know I am sound and better, hence I keyed in.

“I made it clear that my name and that of my party should not be mentioned there,” he said.

Adenipebi said that he only met Adediran for three minutes on Monday and that the PDP candidate asked if they could have a working agreement.

He said that Adediran promised to get back to them for discussion, saying: “This was all. We have not reached any agreement. This is not true. I will never be part of illegalities.

“We have not met as agreed to know who is more intellectual to lead in the CPP. We have not done that. We never had an agreement.”

Promising to continue his campaign, Adenipebi said that only God and the people would decide the next governor of the state.

Adenipebi saidhe would rather prefer the PDP candidate steppeddown and work for him because of his (Adenipebi) tested character, courage, capacity and competence to lead the state as a teacher and chattered public manager.

According to him, his party is open to good governance and better life for Lagos residents and Nigerians, hence his readiness to listen to any party which prioritises these.

Also speaking, Adeyemi said it became imperative to debunk the rumour of her purported stepping down to endorse thePDP candidate because of her supporters and political career.

Adeyemi said thatthough there were inconclusive discussions at the level of CPP, no agreement had been reached among the candidates.

“We are surprised to read in the media, the purported stepping down. We do not want anybody to spoil our reputation politically.

“I want to categorically tell you here that I never stepped down for him (Adediran) or his party or have the intention of stepping down for him or his party, PDP in the nearest future.

Adeyemi said that she had kicked off her campaign. (NAN)

•PHOTO:From Left- The Lagos State Governorship Candidate of Action Peoples Party (APP), Mrs Abiola Adeyemi, and the Governorship Candidates of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Mr Mode Adenipebi at a news conference on Wednesday in Lagos.