Hundreds of loyalists of the embattled National Legal Adviser of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Muiz Banire in Mushin Local Government and Odi-Olowo Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State on Wednesday pitched tent with the State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode and the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The Banire’s loyalists led by his former Personal Assistant and current member of Lagos State House of Assembly representing Mushin Constituency 2, Hon. Abdulsobur Olawale (Omititi), declared unalloyed support for Governor Ambode and Tinubu, saying that they were satisfied with the impressive performance of the present administration in the State.
Speaking at the well attended meeting of party members and leaders in Mushin, the party members also offered Governor Ambode an automatic ticket come 2019.
The party faithful under the leadership of Senator Ganiyu Solomon gave their backing, declaring that notwithstanding efforts by some members to subvert the party at the last local government poll, it still recorded resounding victory, winning the two chairmanship seats and 12 councillorship positions contested for in the two councils.
While they all declared the APC in the area as ever strong and united, they all urged those who worked against the party in the poll exercise, but had since regretted their action and willing to come back into the fold to do so.
They nonetheless told whoever felt they were tired and wanted to quit the party to do so, and stop disturbing its peace.
Speaking at the event attended by party leaders including the State’s Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Seye Oladejo; Aremo Yemi Ali, Barrister Demola Sadiq, a member, Olawale (Omititi); Chief Taoreed Farounbi Alado, among others, Senator Solomon, said the purpose of the gathering was to appreciate leaders and members of APC in the area for their support that ensued victory for the party in the last local government poll.
He also said the gathering also offered the opportunity to charge those that were elected in the exercise to deliver dividends of democracy to the community and further pledged the members’ loyalty to the leadership of the party, including Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Ambode.
“The purpose of this meeting is for all members of APC and some APC leaders in Mushin and Ojuwoye to thank them for their performance during the last local government and to show them the candidates to work for and to give the opportunity to charge the representatives just elected to work according to the party programmes and manifesto.
“And also support the government at the state and the federal levels. The programmes of the state and the Federal governments should also be the programmes of the local governments.
“And we enjoin them to also make sure they deliver dividends of democracy to the community at large and to also appreciate the performance of the party during the last election whereby we understand where some lapses were in preparation for future election.
“Finally, finally, some people also came out to say it is important to pledge our loyalty to the party leadership from Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the governor and to all leaders. That is the height of the meeting,” Solomon said.
Speaking further, the Solomon, who represented Lagos West in the Senate between 2011 and 2015, said the door was open to those members who worked against the party in the last local government election to return to the fold as a prodigal son if they wished, but quickly added that they knew the steps to take to accomplish such.
“If they want to play the role of a prodigal son and they want to come back, they should go through the normal process. They know where to start from, they should go and meet leaders of the party. Yes, we are not sending them anybody away. If they do that, they are all welcome.
“We know the role some of them played in the last election, but we are also willing to take them back, but they must do the right thing,” he said.
