Ndigbo in the Lagos state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Tuesday endorsed the party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the APC governorship candidate in the state, Babajide Sanwo-Olu for the 2023 polls.
They said the duo were capable to move the state and Nigeria forward because of their antecedents.
The group said this at a town hall summit held in the premises of Lagos Television, Ikeja.
The event was attended by the state APC Chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, Lagos state Commissioner for Water and Infrastructure, Arc Kabiru Abdullai, Jude Idimogu the deputy leader of Ndigbo in APC and the president of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Lagos, Sunday Ossai among others.
The group said it was supporting Tinubu’s presidential ambition because of his past performance as the governor of Lagos state.
Speaking at the event, the Special Adviser to Governor Sanwo-Olu on drainage and water resources, Joe Igbokwe, who is the leader of the group said: “APC is our party; we have taken the decision that APC is our party. I will remain a patriotic and loyal member of this party, and our commitment will bring result.
“We are not into this party because of what will enter our pocket. We will continue to pay back to Lagos; we need to protect our investment.
“We need to work with the ruling party. We will work so hard, because this is the idea which time has come. Give us the support and the push to deliver.”
Also in his remarks, Pastor Ojelabi said “there is unity in the state chapter of the party and the gathering of the Ndigbo in the party goes a long way to assure members of the party and supporters of Tinubu that, as far as Ndigbo in APC is supporting his candidature, all hope is not lost, and they are further convinced they are supporting Tinubu’s presidential ambition.”
Giving support to the summit, the chairman of CONFERENCE 57, a group comprising the 20 local government areas in the state and the 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), Hon. Kolade Alabi, said a vote for Tinubu is a vote for progress and development of the country.
Represented by the LCDA chairman of Igbogbo/Bayeku, Sesan Daini, he said: “Some said Igbo in Lagos state are not in APC, but I told them that the Igbo that matter are in APC. Go and mobilise the Igbo in your community and your state to vote for APC.”
Tinubu/ Shetima mass rally in Ibadan
And from Ibadan, Oyo state capital came a report that scores of APC members were feared injured in Ibadan Tuesday as suspected hoodlums attacked the party’s mass rally/street walk for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu/Senator Kashim Shettima presidential ambition.
It was gathered that the hoodlums with their suspected leader in a light green SUV along with 10 other vehicles, allegedly intercepted and attacked the APC members in Labiran Junction Area in Ibadan around 1:20pm, leaving several APC members injured.
Sources at the rally/street walk said a young man was reportedly shot by the hoodlums, forcing others to scamper for safety at the sound of the gunshot at Bere area of Ibadan.
Sources said the victim of the gunshot and others with machete cuts inflicted on them by the attackers were rushed to nearby hospital for medical attention.
Already, the APC governorship candidate in Oyo state, Senator Teslim Folarin has described attack on the members of the party as the “height of lawlessness, brigandage and provocation capable of fuelling tension in the state.”
Senator Folarin in a statement personally signed by him alleged the Chairman of the Motor Park Management System (PMS) in the state, Mukaila Lamidi popularly called ‘Auxiliary’ was behind the incident.
The APC governorship candidate stressed that it was “unbelievable that when Nigerians are celebrating the emergence of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu / Kashim Shettima as the flag bearer and running mate of the ruling party for the 2023 presidential election, some hoodlums were planning to disrupt the peaceful rally.
“I’ve just been informed that hoodlums led by Lamidi Auxiliary have launched coordinated attacks on our APC members and support groups. Auxiliary personally led the attacks at Iyana Labiran en route Oje in Ibadan,” he added.
Senator Folarin said, “As peaceful and law-abiding citizens, we won’t take laws into our hands. To this end, I call on the law enforcement agencies to do the needful.
“Not minding the deadly attacks on our members by agents of darkness, we’re continuing our walk for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu / Kashim Shettima. The injured members are receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.”
The APC mega rally/street walk kicked off at Oke-Ado, Ibadan APC office and proceeded to Molete to Bere to Agodi Gate to Mokola to Dugbe and berthed at Oke-Ado APC office, with scores of Tinubu/Shettima T-shirt wearing supporters.
Atiku flags off campaigns
In a related development, Director-General National Campaign Management Committee (NCMC) of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Sokoto state Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal said the party will flag off its 2023 campaign in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state on 10th October, 2022.
Tambuwal stated this Tuesday while briefing journalists after inspecting the Atiku campaign office located in Wuse, Abuja.
The Sokoto state governor described the PDP presidential candidate as the most prepared candidate.
He stated: “We are pleased to report to you and indeed Nigerians that the campaign is ready to move. By the grace of God, we are flagging off the campaign this coming Monday, the 10th of October 2023 at Uyo Akwa Ibom states. All arrangements have been made to have for a very successful flag off of the campaign.
“Our campaign is going to be issue based. We’re going to be marketing our candidates based on the program that we brought out, which is generally solution based.
“Atiku is very well prepared to provide the required leadership for this country at this time. He has the experience in governance at the federal level, which I believe none of the rest of the candidates can match.
“This is not the time for Nigerians to go for trial and error. It’s time for Nigerians to give it to the person that has been tested and who has experience to do a good job, who would from day one hit the ground running as we have done for the inauguration of campaign council the very day INEC lifted the ban on campaigns for presidential election campaign on the 28th.
On the crisis in the party, Tambuwal said:”We’re not involved in a war of attrition. It is a political disagreement and we’re working to resolve all of those issues.”
