2019 ELECTIONS: Southern, Middle Belt forum endorses Agbaje

The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum, comprising Afenifere, Ohanaeze, PANDEF, has endorsed, Jimi Agbaje, the candidate of the Peop...

The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum, comprising Afenifere, Ohanaeze, PANDEF, has endorsed, Jimi Agbaje, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Saturday's governorship election in Lagos State.

The forum said the endorsement was in furtherance of its resolve that Nigeria must be restructured with Lagos being of strategic importance in the Nigerian project.

This was contained in a statement by Afenifere spokesman, Mr. Yinka Odumakin as well as Prof. Chigozie Ogbu (Ohaneze); Senator Bassey Henshaw (PANDEF) and Dr. Isuwa Dogo for Middle Belt Forum.

The forum said it cannot be indifferent with the governorship poll in Lagos because Lagos was the Secretariat of the anti-colonial struggles where Nigerians from various nationalities worked together for the country's independence.

"Nigerians from all sections worked together from the city in the valiant years of anti-military struggles that gave us the civil rule we have today," the statement said.

The forum observed that out of the two leading candidates contesting for Lagos gubernatorial election, "one belongs to a political party that stands on the way of restructuring Nigeria and therefore cannot be in our consideration.

"The other candidate, Mr Jimi Agbaje of the PDP has, for over 20 years, been involved in the struggles to rearrange Nigeria as an Afenifere man and we have no reservations in encouraging our people to choose him as Governor of Lagos in the March 9 election", it added.