Ebun Francis|
As the battle for the next governor of Lagos state hots up, members of the Accord Party, made up of associates of former governor of the state, Babatunde Fashola on Thursday threw their support behind Jimi Agbaje, governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2019 election.
Accord Party is made up of some allies of Fashola and Fouad Oki, factional APC leader in Lagos, who left the ruling party earlier in the year following disagreements with the leadership over imposition and high-handedness.
At a press briefing in Lagos on Thursday, chieftains of Accord Party announced the endorsement of Agbaje, asking members of the party to work with him to elect Agbaje as the next governor of Lagos state.
Joseph Beckley, governorship candidate of Accord Party in Lagos, said his decision to concede to Agbaje was in the interest of the party and to take the state to a better place.
Agbaje, who was present at the meeting which took place at Air Port hotel Ikeja while thanking members of the party for their support said Beckley saw the big picture hence his decision to endorse him.
Agbaje said, “Beckley has magnanimously stepped down for me so that Accord can endorse me as their candidate for governor of Lagos state in 2019.”
“It takes a man of character to have run for an office, got the ticket and to accept that there is a larger picture to look at, that there is a more serious problem on ground and that to overcome it, he has agreed to step down for a person with a better chance.
“I accept with humility the honour you have granted to us. We shall get to the government house and serve our people better than the way they are being served today. The freedom train is on the move. There’s still room in the train and it’s time to move on. It’s time for freedom for Lagos. We will get there in 2019.”