Kunle Adelabu
Chieftain of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), Sen. Adeseye Ogunlewe, former representative of Ikorodu Constituency I, Hon. Nurudeen Solaja and Secretary to Igbogbo/Baiyeku LCDA, Alhaji Quddus Oduntan, have called on the youths of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ikorodu Division, to lead the campaign and mobilization towards the 2027 General Elections.
The political leaders emphasised that the party needed to mobilise the youths early and sustain campaign and mobilization in Ikorodu, to sustain and improve on its electoral status.
Senator Ogunlewe, a former Minister of Works and others, gave the charge at the get-together organised by the Network Global Mandate Alliance Youth (NGMA), Igbogbo/Baiyeku LCDA, at the AOSTEM Centre, Apalura, off Dr Akin Ogunlewe Avenue, Igbogbo, last weekend.
Also at the event, the group honoured some of its members and inaugurated ward and polling unit coordinators ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
The GAC chieftain, in his keynote address, charged members of NGMA, on the need to mobilise registered APC members and residents to fully vote for President Bola Tinubu.
“In Ikorodu, we have 98,000 registered members, if we are united and serious about mobilizing these people to vote for all our candidates, and others across the state do the same thing to ensure that the over 500, 000 registered APC members voted, it will be enough to give our President maximum votes in the Southwest.
“If we also mobilise residents very well, we should be able to get 1.5milion votes in Lagos State, and the bulk of the work is on our youths. That is why I have been advocating for serious youth engagement. We must mobilise them adequately and not give the mobilization work to any leader or old man.
“Our APC youths must be ready to supervise polling booths in their areas and deliver them for the party and to do that, you must start work from now by mobilizing and knowing the number of APC members and residents that have voters’ cards in your area.
“It is your planning and dedication to the job that will give us the desired results”, the elder statesman said.
Senator Ogunlewe also stated that youths in a particular area are the ones conversant with achievements of council chairmen, councilors, Assembly members and other elected and appointed representatives whom they are going to use to mobilise residents to vote, to further emphasize the need for youths to lead campaigns.
Hon. Nurudeen Solaja, former representative of Ikorodu Constituency II, also charged the APC youths on discipline and loyalty, emphasizing that the party leadership are always watching to see who is doing what.
While also stating that Ikorodu Division is on top in terms of votes and APC membership registration, the political leader pleaded with the youths to do everything to assist the party to not only sustain the political advantage, but also improve on it.
Like the former Minister, Hon. Solaja also called for early campaigns and mobilization.
The Secretary to Igbogbo/Baiyeku LCDA, Alhaji Quddus Oduntan, also buttressed the need for planning and proper execution towards the next General Elections.
He called for early planning and the need to properly empower youths to lead the campaign for massive voters’ registration; continuous sensitization and mobilization, and also to ensure that voters come out on the election day to vote.
Speaking earlier, Comrade Ojiktu Kehinde, Youth Leader, APC, Igbogbo/Baiyeku LCDA, said that the programme is first of its kind and that it was aimed at unifying all the APC youths towards the 2027 General Elections.
He added that the group is working towards bringing together young party members who have been divided due to support for different aspirants during the just concluded APC primary elections.
“This is primarily to bring the youths together to work in unity and participate fully in the coming General Elections, and secure maximum victory for all our party’s candidates”, he concluded.
Other dignitaries and youth leaders present at the event were Chief (Mrs) Karimot Jokotade Ojikutu, Iyalode Igbogbo Kingdom, Prince Hakeem Awosanya, APC leader, Hon. Yinka Ogunlaja, Coordinator, AOSTEM Centre, Pastor Adeyemi Benson, Supervisor for Education, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA (IBLCDA), Hon. Alliu Hassan, Supervisor for Infrastructure, IBLCDA, Hon. Suraj Abdulgafar, SSA to IBLCDA Chairman, Hon. Femi Folashade, Supervisor for Budget & Planning, Imota LCDA, Hon. Wale Animashaun, Supervisor for Tourism, Ikorodu LG, and Comrade Abdulsallam Tijani, Special Adviser to the IBLCDA Chairman on Youth among others.
