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February 10, 2023
The former Governor of Lagos State who is now the Minister of Works and Housing, said Jandor is a “common cameraman”.
The Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Azeez Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, has replied to his former boss, Babatunde Fashola, for calling him a common cameraman who cannot become the next Lagos State governor.
SaharaReporters on Thursday reported that the former Governor of Lagos State who is now the Minister of Works and Housing, said Jandor is a “common cameraman” who thinks that following him (Fashola) around when he was the governor gives him (Jandor) the quality to be the governor of the state.
Replying to the former governor, Jandor who was a reporter with the Lagos State Television, covering the State House when Fashola was governor, said that he does not understand how Fashola has become attached to camera lately.
A few days after the #EndSARS protest of October 2022 at the Lekki Tollgate in Lagos where protesters were reportedly killed by soldiers and police, Fashola found a camera at the scene, which was the epicentre of the protest against police brutality among others issues.
Fashola led a delegation of the Nigerian Government on the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari to commiserate with the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu over the loss of lives and destruction of properties during the unrest.
Jandor denied ever being a cameraman but noted that he worked with Lagos State Government-owned television station as a reporter.
The PDP governorship candidate said, “My attention has been drawn to disparaging statements made by my Boss, former Governor of Lagos, Babatunde Fashola earlier today at an event in Lagos. He reportedly referred to me as a cameraman who is not ready to govern Lagos.
“While this may come as a shock to many, who may have heard me speak well of him and his achievements in Lagos, despite being the flag bearer of the main opposition party in the same Lagos, let me quickly signpost a reminder that this is the season of calumnies and the APC are expectedly under pressure to sell their unenviable records to the now very discerning electorates of Lagos. There is clearly a brief to all the beneficiaries of the status-quo to publicly show where their support lie.
“In June of 2020, an extract from BRF’s condolence message to me on the loss of my mum, in black prints, states: “your very inspiring life story…turned into a ladder for educational success, entrepreneurial acumen and visionary leadership aspirations.”
“It is just a few weeks to the elections and the story has suddenly changed. Records must be kept straight however, especially for varying audiences who may be misled by my very dear Boss and former Governor of Lagos.
“While I insist that there is absolutely nothing untoward about being a cameraman, and I must apologize to hordes of cameramen out there who have made a mark for themselves in their craft and may feel smeared by my respected Boss's remark, I was never a cameraman.
“As a matter of fact, I was absorbed into the service of government of Lagos State Broadcasting Service as a Reportorial and Editorial Executive, and camera handling was certainly not the professional services I rendered to BRF, and the Lagos state government under his watch.
“I really don’t know what it is with my Oga (Boss) and cameras lately…this is reminding me of that famous missing camera he magically found at Lekki toll gate, the scene of the EndSARS massacre.”