While it shocked some voters, it was celebration for members and supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State on Friday as 10 governorship candidates in the state declared they were stepping down from the race and supporting the candidate of APC, Akinwunmi Ambode, ahead of the governorship election on 11th April.
In Lagos, analysts believe it would be a fierce contest between Ambode and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Jimi Agbaje, but the stepping down of the 10 candidates is seen as a boost for the APC candidate.
Speaking on behalf of his colleagues at a conference in Lagos, Obadia Akinola, the governorship candidate of the Independent Democrats, said the decision was in the best interest of Lagos.
“We, the 10 undersigned governorship candidates, have shelved our individual governorship ambitions and aspirations as we unanimously give our unwavering solidarity to work together with Ambode of the APC,” he declared in the presence of chairmen of all the concerned parties.
They also directed all their supporters to vote for Ambode during the election.
The 10 candidates are Accord Party’s Adeshina Buruji, Obadia Akinola of the Independent Democrats, Ishola Aregbesola of the Action Alliance, Babatunde Sarumi of Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, Abiodun Oyegunle of the African People’s Alliance, KOWA Party’s Victor Adeniji and Adeshina Olayokun of the All Progressives Grand Alliance.
Others include NNPP’s Sesan Olatunde, the Citizens Popular Party’s Sylvester Eze, and Mrs. Pauline Ojochide of the Progressives People’s Alliance.
