The Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in Lagos
State, Mr Jimi Agbaje, has attributed his defeat at the poll to the
suppression of votes in areas where he was strong.
Agbaje said this during an exclusive interview with The PUNCH
shortly after the result of the governorship election was
announced.
The PDP candidate also lamented the low voter turnout in Lagos
State which was less than 20 per cent of the total number of
persons that collected Permanent Voter Cards.
He said the threats, coupled with the manner in which the
presidential election was conducted, led to the voter apathy
witnessed in the nation’s commercial nerve centre.
The PDP candidate said, “From the outset it was clear that the
numbers were on our side and naturally, that was our comparable
strength but the moment you had the numbers slashed, then we were
at a disadvantage.
“The strategy of the other side was to make sure that those
numbers did not come out to vote and to that extent it has worked
in their favour.”
Agbaje said many of his supporters were intimidated and even
threatened with eviction and sack if the PDP won in their
areas.
He said rather than risk their lives and their livelihood, the
people decided to sit at home which gave his opponent the upper
hand.
The PDP candidate added, “It is not good for our democracy when
only about 20 per cent come out to vote. There was voter apathy
because of the event that happened during the presidential
election.”
Agbaje said voter apathy would continue as long as people
believed that their votes would not count.
When asked if he would be challenging the outcome of the
election in court, Agbaje said he would refrain from making
comments for now.
Read more why-i-lost-the-governorship-election-agbaje/