Olusegun Olanrewaju

The governorship candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, Abdul-Azeez Adediran, also known as Jandor, yesterday described thuggery as a tool in the hands of the reigning All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government in the state.

His allegation follows a recent call by the ruling party in Lagos on the opposition to stop ‘heating up the polity’.

Jandor, in an interview on Arise TV’s The Morning Show yesterday, gave insight into how he plans to curb thuggery in Lagos State.

He said, “We can convert them to tools, but very positive and useful ones, and see how much of them we can quickly rehabilitate.

“If the government of Lagos wants all that nonsense to stop it will stop, but you know why, they are part of their (APC) structure. They are already embedded in government political structure by making sure they are the ones operating the Parks and Garages that belong to the government,” he added.

Meanwhile, had earlier promised to convert street louts popularly known as ‘area boys’ in the state into positive tools.

Jandor made this promise during thePlatform debate for Lagos governorship candidates on Sunday.

He said doing this will help to improve security around corridors where there are garages and the whole state at large.

“I have said it repeatedly; I can convert them (area boys) to be tools but positive ones for that matter, especially the ones we handed our motor parks to in the name of the garage. You will observe that whenever there is traffic in that corridor you will see people going to rob our people within that corridor.

“So, I will say to whoever is in charge of that garage that the day I see anybody robbing people in this corridor is the day I am going to take the garage away from you.

You will see that they will sit up because they are making money in that garage, they wouldn’t want to lose that. That is one tool we can convert them to,” Jandor said during thePlatform debate for Lagos governorship candidates on Sunday.

The PDP candidate also said that he will introduce what he called intelligentsia community policing. He said that this will help the government to get information from people from every corner of the state and take action on them to prevent security breakdowns.

He added in order to ensure that this idea works, he will ensure to build trust with the people to assure them that whatever information they provide to the government will be acted upon.

Jandor noted that the best way to tackle insecurity in the state is to go preventive against running after the criminals when crimes happen. He added that with the right information at the right time, the government can always step in to prevent any form of insecurity.

Recall that, recently, the APC, Lagos State chapter, cautioned Jandor from heating up the political polity in the quest for realising his personal ambition.

In a statement by its spokesman, Seye Oladejo, in reaction to the allegations that APC sponsored the suspected thugs on Jandor’s campaign team in the Badagry area of the state, the party said, “Our attention has been drawn to the purported attack on the Lagos state PDP gubernatorial candidate, Jide Adediran, Jandor while on a campaign tour.

“It is important to state that All Progressives Congress, abhors thuggery and any other form of violence in the name of politics.

“However, we find it repulsive that Jandor could level such grievous allegations and conveniently forget to give the names of the victims and the action taken by the battalion of security operatives who always outnumber his entourage.

“This is just another level in the propaganda machinery of the PDP candidate to curry public sympathy through blatant lies and unsubstantiated claims.

“The opposition party before now had more credible and accomplished candidates who flew their flags during elections and ran a good race. t is worthy of note that neither were they so desperate nor unnecessarily heat up the polity with needless lies.

One cannot but wonder what led to the descent to the lowest abyss.

“Nigerians know too well that this is the season of endless comedy of the absurd coming from the stable of the professionals.

“They are advised to focus on issues-based campaigns that will make life more meaningful for all Lagosians.

“Perhaps he should spend more time seeking the support of the members of his party who have been largely indifferent to his campaign rather than clutching to straws and crying wolf when there’s none.

“However, we understand that it can be overwhelmingly frustrating and depressing to contest against a highly successful incumbent who has become the yardstick to measure good governance.”