Dr Olajide Adediran, the Lagos State PDP Governorship Candidate for 2023 general elections says his recent documentary aired on Arise TV to commemorate 2022 International Youth Day does not violate any known law.
Adediran, popularly called ‘Jandor’, in a statement by the Head of his Media and Communications, Mr Gbenga Ogunleye, was reacting to a petition to INEC by one Nelson Ekujumi, the Executive Chairman, Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate (CPPM) over his supposed breach of the 2022 Electoral Law by the documentary.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the statement was entitled “Re: Civil Society Organization Petition INEC Over a Breach of 2022 Electoral Act By Lagos PDP Gubernatorial Candidate”.
Ekujumi had alleged that the PDP candidate, his running late, Ms Funke Akindele and his team engaged in political campaigns of canvassing voters ahead of the official kick-off date in violation of the law via the documentary aired on Arise TV to commemorate the 2022 International Youth Day on Aug. 12.
Reacting, Adediran said that the documentary did not violate INEC regulation on electioneering campaign.
“We are not taken by surprise by this baseless petition due to the rising popularity of Jandor and the Lagos PDP.
“Also, we wouldn’t have dignified the rabble-rouser with a response since we are sure that INEC, as the unbiased umpire will educate him and his paymasters on the difference between electioneering campaign and sensitization awareness on International Youth Day.
“But for the need to expose the charlatans from misleading the public, this response became necessary.
“Adediran and the Lagos PDP are well aware of the provisions of the Electoral Law 2022 on electioneering campaigns and have not in any way taken any action in violation of the law.
“All the registered political parties are allowed to engage in political sensitization, voters’ education, and awareness before the official kick-off time for electioneering campaigns,” he said.
According to him, the said content of the documentary claimed to have violated the Electoral Law would not have been aired by Arise TV or any other national television if it had violated any known law.
He said that the PDP would not be distracted from the vision to offer a breath of fresh air to the good people of Lagos state, especially the youths, who he said, had suffered untold hardship and total neglect.
“We, therefore, enjoin the voting public to ignore the baseless sponsored petition and to continue to get prepared to massively vote out the APC in the 2023 general elections, ” Adediran said.
