Kunle Adelabu
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ijede Local Council Development Area (LCDA) at the weekend, inaugurated its PBAT – KOH Campaign Council to spearhead grassroots mobilisation towards the re – election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the election of the party’s Governorship candidate in Lagos State, Dr Obafemi Hamzat.
The council which was inaugurated at the APC Secretariat in Ijede, is also charged with the re-election of Sen. Tokunbo Abiru, as Senator representing Lagos East, Rep. Babajimi Benson, Ikorodu federal constituency and Hon. Aro Moshood Abiodun (AMA) as the representative of Ikorodu Constituency II.
While Pastor Olawunmi Abdurasaq Ajetunmobi is the Coordinator of the Campaign Council, the Executive Chairman, Ijede LCDA, Hon. Motunrayo Gbadebo – Alogba and the APC Chairman in Ijede LGA, Hon. Ademola Sheriff Sarumi, are the Co – Coordinators.
At the inauguration ceremony, oath was applied on the three structures of the campaign council – Ward Coordinators, Directorate and LG campaign committee, with a charge to deliver 30, 000 of the 35, 000 registered votes in Ijede LCDA as the council’s contributions towards the attainment of 300, 000 from Ikorodu Division.
Pastor Ajetunmobi, speaking at the inauguration emphasised the need for massive mobilisation to bring back Lagosians to vote and called for cooperation between the ability of the youth and the experience of the older politicians to achieve the expected results in the forthcoming General Elections.
“The party needs it . So, we will combine the experience of our fathers and the energy of our youths to carry out this party’s work,” he said.
Speaking further on the task ahead, the Coordinator also announced to the APC stakeholders that Ijede has been mandated to deliver 30, 000 votes out of the 35, 000 registered voters.
“Let me give us the latest information. Ijede has a total of 35, 000 registered voters. That is the total number of registered voters in Ijede and we have promised our incoming governor that we will deliver 30, 000 votes in Ijede, which is very possible.”
He charged stakeholders that allocation of positions and resources after the elections would be based on the number of votes each council contributed during the elections.
“But what the incoming governor (APC governorship candidate) is now saying is that 300,000 votes targeted for Ikorodu Division must be broken down to know how many votes that Imota, Igbogbo/Baiyeku and Ijede delivered among others.'”
“This is what he intends to use when constituting his cabinet positions. He will look at the 300,000 votes from Ikorodu Division and determine what percentage came from Ijede. Every LG and LCDA must stand on its own. That is why we must make it happen.”
He added:
“God has indeed brought us together as one family. So, our aspiration in Ijede and our prayer is that God will help us achieve the target of 30, 000 votes and take us to our desired destination. The people of Ijede have made their commitment. Ijede must be taken seriously.This is the challenge that we have accepted and we must deliver.
The incoming governor has said that whichever community in Ikorodu Division delivers the highest percentage of votes will be the first community he will consider. We will be given whatever we requested if we deliver maximum votes. That is the target we want to achieve.”
APC Chairman in Ijede LGA, Hon Sarumi Ademola Sheriff also emphasised the need for massive mobilisation to deliver Ijede to the ruling party.
“Our expectation is nothing less than to have massive votes in Ijede to complement the 300, 000 votes promised from Ikorodu Division. So, Ijede is not an exception.
Today’s inauguration is the beginning, and this is where we start from by ensuring that everybody is being carried along, and working towards generating 300, 000 votes from Ikorodu Division. We are working in Ijede to ensure that we have at least 30, 000 votes.”
“To achieve that, we have today inaugurated our campaign council, meaning those that will be working towards generating that vote for us. We call them the campaign committee from LGA down to all our wards”
He charged residents of Ijede to vote for APC candidates for dividends of democracy not to elude Ijede while also urging the campaign council to mobilise.
“My message to them is to love their community, and if you want to show the love for this community, is by votes. Because after the elections, the benefit of our votes is coming back to us.
So, my admonition to them is to ensure that we all put in all our efforts to ensure everybody votes for APC. That’s all.”
Hon. Moturayo Gbadebo -Alogba the Executive Chairman, Ijede LCDA, emphasised that the constitution of the campaign council is to ensure that all the APC candidates – President Bola Tinubu, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, Sen. Tokunbo Abiru, Rep. Babajimi Benson and Hon. Aro Moshood Abiodun (AMA) are voted for massively in Ijede.
“The major reason we are all here is APC. That is what brought us here because of our love for APC and it is the same reason that brought us into the Committees. Majorly, we all know our candidate but, let me remind us again. We have Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, as President of Nigeria; Dr Obafemi Hamzat, as Governor; Sen. Tokunb Abiru as Senator; Rep. Babajimi Benson as our House of Representatives and Hon. Aro Moshood Abiodun (AMA) as our Kordu Constituency II representative in the Lagos State House of Assembly.”
“I have no doubt that by God’s grace and with our efforts, our father, President Tinubu, will return for a second term.
“So also is our Deputy Governor who is now contesting for the Governorship; Senator Abiru, Rep. Benson and AMA.
With all your joint efforts. He will return in that year. For our governor. The one doing a second term with our present governor. The one God has put there. Dr. Kadri Hamzat.
So, we must join hands to support them so they can return.”
Hon. Gbadebo =Alogba who is the Co -Coordinator of the Campaign Council charged residents of Ijede to not just vote for Hon. Aro Abiodun who is their son but show him love.
“AMA who is vying again for the House of Assembly, representing Ikorodu Constituency II, is a true son of this our town, and we will be together for him just like other candidates.”
“We will not just support him; we must show our love and everything we have. So for that reason, we must do our work well. You must take it to heart, because if we look left and right, it favours us very well and our vote will bring us development and other benefits.”
