By Dapo Akinrefon

LAGOS—THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate in the 2019 election in Lagos, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, yesterday, denied reports that he had dumped the party for the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Jimi Agbaje

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He, however, fingered National Vice Chairman of the PDP, Chief Bode George for insinuating that he has defected to APC

Agbaje, in a statement by his media aide, Felix Oboagwina, said: “People should please tell Bode George to shut up and leave PDP if he lacks any value to add to the party, instead of being a dog in the manger hampering the progress of the party in Lagos State.”

He said: “That false narrative is the product of a sick mind. Or how else do you describe someone who just sits down to concoct fiction and markets it as reality? He should tell the world where he got the news being spreading round.

“These shameless party leaders have 2023 in mind. The game-plan is mischievously simple: Give the dog a bad name and chase it away from the party. By 2023, this mudslinging will have scared off credible people from the party, which will leave the whole field to them to continue to corner party resources.”

He’s a failed gov candidate — Bode George

In his reaction, Chief Bode George, who spoke through his Special Adviser, Prince Uthman Shodipe said: “We have read with disgust an absolute report of idiocy that emanated from one Mr. Jimi Agbaje, who was a failed governorship candidate of the PDP in last general election in Lagos State, against the leader of the party in the state, Chief George.

“For the records, it is a public knowledge that Chief Bode George gave Agbaje his break in politics; he gave him the PDP platform without knowing him and also empowered him. It is sad and shameful that Agbaje has bitten the hand that feeds him.

“Whether he has gone to APC or wherever it is none of our business. We don’t know where he concocted this malady about Bode George saying that he has gone to APC. Bode George lifted him up in 2015 without knowing him; he secured the party’s ticket but his heart is not with the PDP.”