The governorship candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party in Lagos State, Olanrewaju Jim-Kamal, has distanced himself from the purported endorsement of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu by the Alliance of Registered Political Parties, saying he was not part of the declaration.

According to him, the inclusion of his name and the NNPP was a sign that Sanwo-Olu and his party, the All Progressives Congress, were desperate and had lost the support of the people of Lagos State.

While advising Lagosians to “ignore the threats from the street hoodlums and louts” and come out to vote out Sanwo-Olu on Saturday, he said the unauthorised use of his name and party could only be done in a near lawless country and by a party that has failed the people of Nigeria.

The NNPP governorship candidate made the clarification in a terse statement obtained by journalists on Tuesday.

He said, “My attention has been drawn to a press statement by a group called the Alliance of Registered Political Parties in which its members purportedly declared support for the candidate of the APC in the forthcoming Gubernatorial elections in Lagos State.

“More disturbing though, and a sign that the incumbent governor of the state and his party, the APC are desperate and have lost the support of the people of Lagos State, is the fact that the NNPP and myself were included in the list of those who are part of the declaration!

“For the avoidance of doubt, the NNPP is not in support of the APC and its governorship candidate. We are contesting this election and not working with the APC. The unauthorised use of one’s name and party could only be done in a near lawless country such as ours and by a party that has failed the people of Nigeria.

“We urge Lagosians to ignore the threats from the hoodlums and louts on our streets and come out on Saturday to vote out Sanwo-Olu and the APC.”