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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has said the opposition party will take over the administration of Lagos State in 2023.
Atiku stated this at a rally organised for him by 100 volunteer groups in Ikeja, Lagos State, on Tuesday.
The former vice president, however, noted that the party can only achieve the feat if members were united, urging party members them to shelve their differences and work for the common goal of winning the 2023 general elections.
The support groups include Grassroots Ambassadors, Arewa for Atiku, Atiku Progressives Forum, Atiku Unifying Projects, Face of Waziri, South West Youths Vanguard, Concerned Youths Initiatives for Atiku, Omolere for Atiku, among others.
The rally was attended by leaders and supporters of the party in Lagos State, including the PDP governorship candidate, Dr Olajide Adediran, aka Jandor; Chairman of the Presidential Campaign Committee in Lagos, Engr. Deji Doherty; Lagos PDP Chairman, Philip Aivoji; candidates of the party in the state, among others.
Atiku, who was represented by the party’s governorship candidate, Jandor, urged members of the party to go out en mass to campaign, adding that the presidential election which comes up on February 25, 2023, along with the National Assembly poll should be taken with all seriousness.
“Once the party wins those elections, the governorship and House of Assembly elections which come up on March 11, 2023, would be made much easier.
“In 2023, we would do everything to win Lagos but let me thank you for what you are doing, because you are competing neck to neck despite having a ruling party, which its presidential candidate is also from here,” he said.
Addressing the gathering, Engr. Jide Adeniji, former chairman of FERMA, expressed his delight at the event, urging all the support groups to collaborate and work together.
“We shall win together in the 2023 general elections,” he said.
The party chieftain said it was time to halt what he termed stagnation that Lagos State had witnessed under the APC since the beginning of the current democratic dispensation, adding: “I want to assure you that Jandor would form the next government in Lagos in 2023.”
Hon. Oladimeji Fabiyi, a member of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, in his remark, asserted that Atiku was determined to rescue the country, noting that the former vice president was an experienced person.
“Atiku Abubakar is coming to rescue Nigeria, recover Nigeria, secure the country from insecurity, recover the exchange rate, among others.
“Atiku has done it before, he is going to recover Lagos, he is a unifier,” he said.
Fabiyi said Lagos State is unique in the the 2023 elections and winnable, urging the party members and loyalists not to allow anybody to intimidate them.
Chairman of the volunteer groups, Chief Nurudeen Olokowo, said Nigerians were looking forward to Atiku’ rescue agenda so that life can be meaningful for them.
Olokowo said the demonstration of huge support witnessed at the gathering showed that “our products are sellable, healthy and pragmatic.”
“Our product is capable of solving the numerous challenges facing our dear nation, hence, the outing of today,” he added
Olokowo described the support groups as Atiku’s strength, urging the presidential candidate to work with them to ensure victory in the 2023 general elections.