Lagos
State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Wednesday charged members of the All
Progressives Congress (APC) in the State to work round the clock to ensure that
the party wins all available elective positions in the forthcoming July 22
Local Government elections.
Governor
Ambode, who addressed members of the party at a stakeholders meeting held at
the APC Secretariat on Acme Road, Ogba, Lagos, which attracted thousands of
faithfuls and top chieftains of the party, said it was important for the party
to come out tops in the elections, adding that it would go a long way to ensure
that the State continues to make steady progress.
While
attributing his success in the 2015 gubernatorial elections to the dedication
of party members and chieftains of the party, especially the National Leader,
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Ambode charged them to rally round the
party yet again to ensure victory for the APC in the polls.
“Almost
exactly two years after, we have cause to thank God. I am able to look back
that the confidence you give me two years ago and all of you working together
to make sure I defeated the PDP candidate was no small feat.
“I
have come here not only to attend this meeting but to say a big thank you to
all of you. I want to thank you for being the first set of people that believed
in me and thereafter God has been so gracious, he has not allowed me to
disappoint u. I want to say a big thank you to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the State
APC Chairmen and Exco members for supporting that course.
“If
there is any party remaining in Nigeria today, that party is manifested in all
the good things coming out of Lagos State. Why are we here; we are here to
count our blessings and renew the course of unity to move forward as one great
party.
“I
want to implore all of us, whatever it is that would have transpired, it is
very clear that this coming LG elections is all in your hands; just the same
way we have done in the last two years, my call to all members of our great
party is that all 57 Local Governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas
must be won by APC without exception,” the Governor said.
Noting
that there were challenges and issues that had emanated in the run up to the
local government elections, Governor Ambode, nonetheless urged members to stand
by the decisions of the party leaders, which according to him would bring about
the best for all.
“This
is our first gathering this year, it is very significant, it is instructive and
we are meeting on a very happy note. We have begun a new journey into the
crusade to make Nigeria a progressive nation and it is starting from this
process that we would use; our Chairmen, Councilors, SLGS and this is the new
chart that we want to follow in this state.
“A
whole lot of things have happened; it is left in the hands of Asiwaju to
proclaim the way forward for all of us. So, whatever direction Asiwaju say we
should go, we would go,” he said.
On
his part, APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu commended members of
the party for supporting Governor Ambode in the 2015 elections, and urged that
the candidates of the party for the forthcoming Local Government Election
should also be supported.
Tinubu,
who described the election as the most challenging, recalled how the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) and former President Goodluck Jonathan moved to take
over the State by all means including spending huge cash, but the APC members
resolutely stood their ground and ensured the victory of the party.
While
urging members to accept the decision of the party with respect to the LG
election, Tinubu said as agreed earlier, the 18 chairmen who were promised
automatic ticket for their efforts in the party and the State would be allowed
to return, while the Sole Administrators who took over from Executive
Secretaries (ES) of the LGs and LCDAs would not be allowed to contest in the election.
He
also directed party leaders in all the 57 councils to give special concession
to youths and women, while also urging members of the party in Surulere to give
peace a chance and drop all forms of public disorder.
Responding
to issues raised by party members that the ES should be disallowed from
contesting, Tinubu said: “Doing such would amount to denying them their rights
having left office more than a year ago. It is just like saying that Governor
Ambode or Senators and other party leaders should not be allowed second term.”
Besides,
Tinubu commended Governor Ambode for his sterling performance so far, saying
that the Governor had not let the party down.
“Governor
Ambode you have not let us down. He is doing a fantastic job, in an environment
where there is economic recession is a big challenge, they say he might not be
able to do it, but he is doing it and doing it perfectly.
“He
has a very good team of performers, it takes a leader to lead a team to victory
and a leader to think and dream. He thinks and performs and he is doing a great
job, we are very proud of him,” Tinubu said.
Meanwhile,Lagos State Commissioner of Police Fatai
Owoseni has asked all Political Parties to eschew violence during the
forthcoming LGA election in the State.
Owoseni stated this during a meeting he had with all
the Chairmen and Secretaries of political Parties at the State Police command
in Ikeja said,election should not be seen as a do or die matter.
He urged politicians to see themselves as equal
stakeholders in the State,warning that any form of violence during the election
won’t be condone.
The meeting which had in attendance the
APC,PDP,PDM,NCP,APGA,LP and a host of others was also attended by Police Area
Commanders as well as the Commander of the Rapid Response Squad in Lagos.
The Commissioner urged the Political Parties to furnish
the command with it’s programmes ,date of primaries and contestants for
effective provision of adequate security.
Most of the Politicians commended the commissioner for
his foresight, they urged the Police to be neutral and to see themselves as
enforcers of the law and not an arm of any political party.
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Politics