The chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, Dr Adetokunbo Pearse, says the defection of Lagos4Lagos Movement to PDP will boost the winning chances of the party in 2023.
Pearse, the Convener, Reset Lagos PDP group, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday.
He was reacting to the recent defection of Lagos4Lagos Movement, a splinter group within the Lagos APC to the PDP.
He described the defection of Dr Olajide Adediran, the Lagos4Lagos Movement Lead Visioner and his teeming members to the main opposition party as good news.
“This defection of thousands of APC members to PDP will impact APC negatively whether they admit it or not,” Pearse, the Lagos PDP Chairmanship aspirant said.
He, however, cautioned PDP leaders not to allow the enthusiasm about the defection tear the party but rather it should be well managed for the overall good of the party.
He urged party leaders to remember how the entry of late Funsho Williams created a tsunami which nearly blew PDP apart.
According to him, the entrance of Jimi Agbaje into the party in 2015 amidst great fanfare later divided PDP into into the” Bode George Group ” and the “Obanikoro Group “.
He said that the division cost PDP to lose the presidential and governorship elections in Lagos State.
On the governorship ambition of defectors, Pearse said that the party leaders needed to handle it with care so as not to be a bane to the unity of the party.
According to him, there are people already in our party who have expressed interest in running for governor and their feelings should be taken into consideration by the party.
“If we must win, we must guard our unity, and nascent stability under the Caretaker Committee jealousy.
“Our Party’s structure must be intact and we must be more vigilant than ever on election day.
“We cannot afford to place our hopes of victory on flamboyant rallies and speeches, nor on the shoulders of a would- be political messiah,” Pearse said. (NAN)
