Wale Jagun & Mariam Akinloye
The Senator representing Lagos East Senatorial District, Sen. Mukhail Adetokunbo Abiru, FCA, has engaged members of the Lagos East Consultative Forum (ECF), an independent grassroots campaign and stakeholder mobilisation group, on achievements of the administration of President Bola Tinubu, which they must use to canvass votes for his re -election and other candidates of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos.
Abiru emphasised the importance of unity and working together and also urged them to encourage residents to get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
ECF, which operates within the Lagos East Senatorial District, was inaugurated by Senator Abiru in 2023.
The Senator who is also a candidate in the forthcoming General Elections, seeking return to the Senate, gave the campaign education when he met with the APC stakeholders at the Epe mini-stadium he facilitated on Thursday:
“We are running one campaign, one party and one united political movement. Therefore, everybody must be prepared to work together. There should be no division among us. Any disagreements or internal differences must be put aside. We must all work together.”
“We are voting for the President. We are voting for the Senator. We are also voting for members of the House of Representatives in Epe and Ibeju-Lekki. Those in Ikorodu will support their candidates in Ikorodu. Those in Shomolu will support their candidates in Shomolu, and those in Kosofe will support their candidates in Kosofe.
“We must not allow unnecessary divisions. Please, let us work together. This is very important.”
Abiru also urged members of the ECF to ensure that they have their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and also urged others in their streets to do the same. He emphasised the need for Lagos East to improve on its votes in 2023.
“By now, we should already have our Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). I am not saying we should conduct an operation to display our PVCs here. No, what I am saying is that everyone should ensure that they have their PVCs.”
“You should go out and encourage people to collect their PVCs if they have not done so. It is very important. If you remember the 2023 elections, we performed well in Lagos East. We did well. The President did not lose because of Lagos East. We all know where the losses occurred.
“However, what I want you to understand is that, in Epe, the number of votes we secured for the President during the last election was not particularly high. Please, remember that. In Ibeju-Lekki, the figure was about 14,000 votes and above, or around 18,000 votes.”
He stressed the need for mobilisation for more votes, while assuring of his support, “Now, this time around, the situation is different. We have the President on our side. We have our own President.”
“Some political analysts are already talking about multiplying previous election figures by five. If we take what we achieved during the last election and multiply it by five, we should be able to achieve a much better result, but we cannot achieve this alone. Everyone who has people in their respective streets, communities and neighbourhoods must go out and mobilise them.
“Encourage them to collect their PVCs.”
Speaking about Tinubu and his reforms, Sen. Abiru said that he has taken necessary decisions for the long term benefits of the country which only he has the capacity to do.”
“You know that several difficult decisions have been made in this country. Some of these decisions were so difficult that previous administrations were afraid to implement them. But our father (Tinubu) has taken those decisions.
“For instance, when people talk about the removal of fuel subsidies, only our father had the courage to implement it. Former President Goodluck Jonathan attempted to remove it in 2012, but there was strong opposition, and he had to reverse the decision, but why was President Tinubu able to do it?
“It was because he was willing to take the necessary decisions. Since President Tinubu assumed office, he has demonstrated the courage to implement reforms that previous administrations were reluctant to carry out,” he said.
Abiru furthered: “One of the reasons for these reforms is that the people benefiting from the previous arrangements were not up to 500 individuals. They were taking advantage of the system and benefiting at the expense of the wider population.”
“When fuel subsidies were still in place, we experienced serious difficulties getting fuel. We would join long queues at filling stations and sometimes end up buying adulterated fuel. We all experienced this.”
“But since the subsidy was removed, have we continued to experience those same queues? Do we still experience the same problem of adulterated fuel to the same extent?”
On the foreign exchange, Abiru said that the administration of Tinubu has also done well.
“The government has also reformed the foreign exchange system because the people benefiting from the previous arrangement were very few compared with Nigeria’s population of 200 million.”
“These are some of the difficult decisions that previous administrations were unable or unwilling to take, but President Tinubu has implemented them.”
However, the federal lawmaker acknowledged that the reforms have created further difficulties for average Nigerians that were already struggling with numerous challenges before, but also argued that things will eventually get better for the citizenry under Tinubu’s administration.
“I must also acknowledge that these reforms have not made everything easy for Nigerians. I cannot stand here and tell you that life has suddenly become easy for everybody. We all know the reality. But people often say that there is no difficult journey that does not eventually lead somewhere.
“Now, consider the resources that have become available to the government, whether at the federal, state or local government level, you can see that government revenues have increased.”
“Before President Tinubu came into office, many states in Nigeria were struggling to pay workers’ salaries. Out of the 36 states, about 27 were having difficulties paying salaries. Today, states are better able to pay salaries regularly. Local governments are also receiving more funds regularly. The reforms have increased the resources available to the different levels of government.”
“The removal of fuel subsidies has generated savings. The foreign exchange reforms have also helped to increase government revenue. As a result, states now have more money available, and local governments also have more resources to work with. The Federal Government is also receiving more revenue and has the opportunity to channel more resources into development.”
He pointed at the Lagos -Calabar and Ikorodu -Itoikin among other road projects as examples of achievements of the present administration due to the resources that were made available by the reforms.
“We travelled to Epe this morning, and you can see the development taking place around the area. Whether you are travelling from Lagos towards Epe or through the Ikorodu route, you can see that several roads are being constructed with concrete.”
“When you move to the other side, what you will see is another Road. These are not ordinary roads, they are being constructed with rigid concrete pavement. Do you know what that means?”
“Such roads are designed to last for many years, potentially up to 50 years, with proper maintenance. These projects are being funded with the additional resources generated through the reforms.”
“We are gradually beginning to experience some of the benefits, although everything has not yet been fully realised.
“If you travel along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and reach Sagamu today, what do you see? You see road construction and improvements.
“If you travel towards the other routes, including the road towards Offa, you will notice similar developments. Whether you travel towards the coastal areas, the South-East or the Northern parts of the country, you will find infrastructural projects taking place.”
“I am telling you this because I want you to recognise the resources being invested in the development of our communities and the country.”
Abiru also added: “Look at those of us living in Lagos, we are among the people who benefit most from these infrastructural projects. Apart from the roads being constructed across the country, consider the condition of the Third Mainland Bridge, which many of us use regularly.”
“We all use the Third Mainland Bridge. We know what its condition used to be like, and we also know the condition it is in today. The bridge has undergone improvements.”
He also pointed at the redevelopment of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport and the strategic nature of some of the roads being constructed by Tinubu, as reason he must be voted for to return as President of Nigeria.
“If you travel to the international Airport today, you will see that a lot of work is going on there.
“Let us consider the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. These are major projects that are being constructed. They connect different parts of the country, including areas around Epe and other communities. Isn’t that so?”
“So, even if people complain that things are difficult in the country, you should also recognise that improvements are gradually coming. These developments will make it easier to connect different parts of the country.”
Abiru also cited the special attention that Tinubu is giving to Lagos which has been neglected since the movement of the FCT to Abuja as another reason that Lagosians must vote massively for his return.
“Let me share an interesting piece of information with you. Do you know that Abuja is the capital of Nigeria today? When the decision was made to move the capital from Lagos in 1976, it was General Murtala Muhammed who introduced the idea.”
“When he came up with the idea, his position was that the Federal Government must not abandon Lagos. Lagos must not be neglected because it serves as the country’s major port, has important road networks and houses several critical infrastructures. These facilities must continue to be maintained and improved.
“If you look at it carefully, since the capital was moved to Abuja in 1990, there has been only one president who has paid particular attention to the development and improvement of Lagos and that is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I am explaining this to you so that when people complain that things are difficult, they can also understand that development is gradually taking place.”
While stating that it will take time for things that have been neglected for decades to be adjusted, Sen. Abiru added that he is explaining the situation to members of his party to campaign with when they are canvassing residents to vote.
“Something that has been neglected or allowed to deteriorate for over 60 years cannot be completely fixed within three years.”
“Therefore, what I am trying to say is that as we support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his leadership and engage his people, we should also be able to explain these things to them.”
He also canvassed for the APC gubernatorial candidate in the state, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, who he said has the capacity and the experience to administer the state effectively.
“If you look at the democratic system since 1999, no administration has been completely disconnected from the political influence and leadership of this group. Who are we talking about, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
“Hamzat was involved during Fashola’s administration. Fashola served as governor for eight years, and he was there. Fashola also served as a minister for eight years, and he was still there. Isn’t that so? He is also part of the current administration.”
“So, it is not by chance. He has knowledge, understanding and considerable experience. Therefore, when he assumes a leadership position, he is not a newcomer who is just beginning to understand how things work. He already has the necessary experience.
That is why we must remain committed and support him as well. We must give him our full support.”
He also canvassed for support for his own re -election and other APC candidates in the 2027 General Elections, while emphasising the need for the ECF members to communicate effectively about the achievements of the APC government to the people.
