Dr Adetokunbo Pearse, Chairman, Strategy and Mobilisation, Social Democratic Party (SDP), South-West zone, on Wednesday emerged the consensus governorship candidate of the party in Lagos State.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the exercise, held at the National Stadium, Lagos, was supervised by the party’s national officials and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Declaring Pearse, a University of Lagos lecturer, as the SDP consensus candidate, Mr Folarin Olujembola, the Chairman, Election Planning Committee, said that the candidate had fulfilled all conditions to be the flag bearer of SDP.
Olujembola said: “We only get one person that satisfied the conditions, filled the expression of interest form and paid for the nomination form.
“Having fulfilled all the requirements, I introduce to you the sole governorship aspirant that we have for SDP in Lagos State, Dr Adetokunbo Pearse who will take over the Lagos Government House, Alausa in 2019.
“The gentleman hails from Ward K of Lagos Mainland LGA.
“By the power conferred on me, I am privileged and honoured to announce to you this day Oct. 3, 2018, that Dr Adetokunbo Pearse has been adopted as SDP Lagos Chapter Candidate for the 2019 elections,” he said.
Earlier, according to the SDP constitutional provision, Olujembola requested a delegate to move the motion for the adoption of the aspirant as the consensus candidate of the party while another seconded it.
NAN reports that the motion was moved by a delegate, Mr Ufuoma Onemu from Amuwo-Odofin LGA and seconded another delegate, Mrs Monsurat Akinlabi from Ajeromi Ifelodun LGA.
He urged the party faithful to continue to persuade Lagosians to join the party for the development of the state and nation at large.
Pearse, in his acceptance speech, said that he would govern the state with all sincerity and deliver masses-oriented governance, if elected as the governor of the state in 2019 general elections.
The candidate, who noted that Lagosians deserve more than what they were getting under the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government in the state, said as an intellectual, he would serve the people.
“My emergence today as the consensus governorship candidate of the SDP speaks of our determination to launch a people-oriented master plan for Lagos State.
” The plan has a simple, single objective: to serve the people to the best of our ability. It is a participatory plan that is anchored on unity, development and growth.
“Our party, SDP and I represent the much-needed robust option that will help us to avoid repeating the expensive mistakes of the past.
” The new Lagos State that SDP shall build after the 2019 polls shall be driven by 21st century vision of greatness that will be supported by listening ears to hear what the people say,” he said.
Pearse, who commended the Afenifere sociopolitical group for keeping SDP alive, said that the party would be committed to the restructuring of the country, if it formed the government at the centre.
In his opening remarks, Otunba Olatunde Onakoya, the Chairman of SDP in Lagos State, said that the candidate possessed every quality, passion, vision and intellectual ability to put smiles on the faces of all Lagosians.
