- Governor meets grassroots mobilisers at independent campaign council
Members of five trade unions and non-political groups have thrown their weight behind the second term bid of the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and other All Progressives Congress candidates in the forthcoming general election, including that of the APC Presidential candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The group at a meeting with the Lagos State Governor at the Tinubu/Shettima and Sanwo-Olu/Hamzat Independent Campaign Council (ICC) in Ikeja GRA, unanimously endorsed all the APC candidates.
It was the Governor’s first visit to the ICC established last November to drive grassroots mobilisation for All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos.
Sanwo-Olu, who was accompanied by his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, and members of the State’s cabinet, was received by the ICC chairman, Cardinal James Odunmbaku, and Director General, Mr. Tayo Ayinde.
Hundreds of the independent trade unions’ members and artisans who turned up for the engagement unanimously endorsed the Governor’s re-election and the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The groups, which cut across 20 LGA and 37 LCDAs in Lagos, include Associations of Kwara Traders in Lagos, Nigerian Association of Tailors, Oil and Lubricant Sellers Association, Hair Dressers of Lagos and Lagos State Fashion Designers Association.
Sanwo-Olu hailed the groups for their open endorsement, pledging to bring more dividends of good governance close to citizens’ door steps.
The Governor said the first task before Lagosians was to join in the movement to ensure the victory of Tinubu at the presidential polls next month, stressing that APC’s victory at the center would boost Lagos’ political capital and raise the State’s capacity to deliver projects that would change socio-economic conditions of the residents.
He said: “Some four years ago, we sought your support to offer a leadership that will make Lagos a place where your children and families can live happily and prosper. My deputy and I are back in seeking your support again. We are proud to come back to you because you are all witnesses to the activities of our Government. You have seen the commitment and priority our administration places on your welfare. Our focus is towards creating better lives for you and your children.
“Today, we are proud to give you firsthand accounts of our achievements since we came on board. This is the scorecard upon which we are running for re-election and your endorsement today is a testimony that the teeming Lagosians are behind us. The Greater Lagos we promised is gradually being delivered, but we are not at the destination yet. The task before us is beyond winning Lagos. We must also come out en mass to vote Asiwaju Tinubu as president for us to deliver more dividends.”
Sanwo-Olu urged the traders to engage their neighbours, telling them to resist provocative moves of the opposition parties. He said Lagos APC would not employ violence against anyone, stressing that the opposition was in desperation to use violence for cheap political gains.
The Governor promised not to disappoint the confidence reposed in his Government by the traders, promising to create more empowerment programmes for the artisans in his second term.
Ayinde said the ICC had identified over 2,100 non-political trade unions across the 57 councils in the State, noting the daily meeting was the strategy deployed by the independent campaign council to reach out to the identified groups.
The Director-General said the ICC had been working assiduously to deliver the 5 million votes promised APC in Lagos, stressing that the Council would intensify its voter mobilisation at the grassroots to achieve the goal.
He said: “We created directorates for all forms of stakeholders in the socio-political realm of Lagos. We talk to them directly and feel their concerns. From our daily engagement here, we have seen genuine commitment and unflinching support from the trade unions and artisan groups we meet daily. This is an assurance that our activities are on the right track and our focus is on the victory of the party in Lagos.”
The groups individually attested to the achievements of the Governor, pledging to mobilise their members to vote APC in Lagos.
