Why I Lost The Governorship Election — Jimi Agbaje

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Jimi Agbaje has revealed why he lost the Lagos Governorship election to the All Progressives Congress, APC candidate, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

In an interview with PUNCH shortly after the result of the governorship election was announced, Jimi Agbaje who lamented the low voter turnout in Lagos State, said it was less than 20 per cent of the total number of persons that collected Permanent Voter Cards.

He further said that 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.

Jimi Agbaje also disclosed that he lost the Lagos Governorship election as many of his supporters were intimidated, and even threatened with eviction and sack if the PDP won in their areas. He added that rather than risk their lives and their livelihood, the people decided to sit at home which gave his opponent the upper hand.

“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.”

“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.”