Lagos State Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Arch. Ahmed Kabiru Abdullahi who doubles as a leader of the Arewa Community Leader in Lagos, has declared that the coming general elections is the appropriate time for the community to repay all the ‘political I owe you’ signed with the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential standard flag bearer Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in time past with their massive votes.
The Lagos Arewa leader Arch. Kabiru made this assertion at a special prayer session held in the Abattoir mosque at the instance of thousands of Muslim faithful, to usher the former governor of Lagos State and the incumbent governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the hands of Allah ahead of the general elections.
Arch. Kabiru said: “It was a national prayer, we believe it is Allah that gives power, that is why about 10,000 of us converge here today.
“We distributed copies of the Holy Quran, recited the Quran and pray to Almighty Allah to grant our leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu his heart desire of becoming the next president of the federal republic of Nigeria.
“Beyond this spiritual approach, we are carrying out mobilisation to ensure our people come out en masse to vote not just Bola Ahmed Tinubu but all the candidates of the APC in the next general elections.
According to him, the spiritual gathering signals the preparedness of the community to give the APC presidential candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his running mate Senator Kassim Shettima unprecedented votes unlike ever before in the state.
“You can see the mammoth crowd here today. This is an indication of the readiness of the Arewa Community in Lagos to give Senator Asiwaju the kind of votes we have never given him before.
“We started out during the voters registration exercise, we mobilised our people to go and register, we are satisfied with the level of compliance by our people, this shows readiness to support Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his running mate.
“We are also mobilizing support for our own, the governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his second term in office. We also prayed for him, yes, he is a Christian, but he is a friend of the Muslim community, he loves us and we also loved him and we will stand by him.
“Don’t also forget that Arewa Community cuts across all the South – western states. The prayers we did here today is going to be replicated in all other states, including the northern states, so, this is just the beginning.
“My message to the Arewa Community generally is that we should borrow a leaf from the Holy Quran, he that does well to you, you have to repay him back with good. Asiwaju has done so much for us that we cannot count, we went round all the states, we met the political I owe you everywhere.
“Asiwaju is our father and also the grand patron of the Arewa Community, a position he has held since he was the governor and he has not relinquished that position. Anytime we have any issue in Lagos , we rush to him. Asiwaju we want this, we want that, and he has been doing it for us, so we are coming out passionately for him.
Some of the Hausa community leaders, Serikis and Ulama who graced the occasion also lent their voices to the issue of support for the presidential candidate of the APC.
Speaking with newsmen, Seriki Hausawa of Idi-Araba, Alhaji Hasan Abubakar said, “As northerners here in Lagos, we can see what Asiwaju is doing for us the Hausa community, Asiwaju is a totally detribalised leader.
“I am from Jigawa state, if my children are going to primary and secondary schools in Jigawa, they will have to pay school fees, but here in Lagos, we don’t have to pay school fees to get the best education for our children.
“It is only Asiwaju in the entire southern states that will think of making an Hausa man a Commissioner in Lagos State. There was a time he appointed Hausas as supervisory councilors in all the Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the state, not only that, how many can we count of his goodness towards us, this is the kind of person we want as president and we must support him”, he said
Contributing to the advocacy for much support for Asiwaju’s presidency the Chief Imam of Hausa Community, spoke so glowingly about the unflinching support the community has received in state courtesy his neighbourly mien to other tribes resident in the state, especially Arewa’s.
“We have been enjoined by the Holy Quran to be good to he who is good to us. There was a time in this Lagos when they said they gave all the northerners 24 hours to pack their loads and leave.
“ It was Asiwaju that said no way, we should stay and continue with our businesses, he fought for us and within a week, there was normalcy.
“He ensured we live in peace and harmony with our host community.
“We pray that God will grant his heart desires, he will be in good health as he become the president of this country by the special grace of God”, Chief Imam submit.
