Kunle ADELABU & Segun ADESUYI (Photo Credit)
The re-election campaign team of the Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly and representative of the Ikorodu Constituency I, Hon Sanai Oyeniran Bolanle Agunbiade, tagged ‘Team SOB’, has used the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the freest and fairest elections in Nigeria, popularly called ‘June 12’, to appreciate President Muhammadu Buhari and the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The group made the appreciation at a press conference which was held at the lkorodu APC Secretariat, Oke-Ota Ona ,Ikorodu, after a marathon rally across major streets in Ikorodu staged on Tuesday, June 12,2018, to mark the 25th anniversary of the annulment of the June 12 elections.
Alhaji Kabat Ajalogun, the Director- General of Team SOB, while addressing pressmen, stated that they are appreciating President Buhari and Asiwaju Tinubu for the roles they played in the recognition of the sacrifices paid by the late Chief Moshood Abiola and other June 12 heroes and heroines.
“We are gathered here at the secretariat of our party in Ikorodu Local Government to host party men and women from Ikorodu Central, North and West LCDAs, as we celebrate the duo of President Muhammadu Buhari and the national leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for their commendable roles in the eventual recognition of the enormous sacrifices made by the late Chief M.K.O Abiola, and other June 12 heroes and heroines for Nigeria and Nigerians.”, he stated.
“Today, we express our deep appreciation to Mr. President for recognising the late symbol of the June 12 mandate and declaring the day as the authentic democracy day in Nigeria. This declarations are noteworthy and commendable in view of the refusal of previous federal administrations to accord June 12 the national recognition it deserved. With these actions in honour of MKO Abiola and other heroes of the struggle, President Buhari has shown that he is indeed a democrat”.
“It is important to commend the successive governments in Lagos state, starting from Asiwaju Tinubu to the incumbent Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, for their recognition of, and commitment to, the June 12 mandate.
“No less of commendation are the legislative efforts and advocacy of the Lagos State House of Assembly, especially in calling for the replacement of May 29th with June 12th as democracy day. Thank God, the struggle for the enthronement of June is now won.
“Also, the conferment of national honour on late Gani Fawehinmi is good news for democracy and a proud moment for Nigeria. We make bold to say that the souls of these and other unsung matrys of democracy will now rest more peacefully”, he stated while appreciating the national honours conferred on late Abiola and others June 12 heroes and heroines by the Federal Government.
“With the award of GCFR to Chief Abiola, it is now acknowledged that he won the 1993 presidential election and should have been allowed to serve as our president after winning that free and fair expression of the popular will.”
Also in the address, Alhaji Ajalogun specially commended the role played by the national leader of APC, Asiwaju Tinubu, in fighting for the revalidation of June 12 mandate and the entrenchment of democracy in Nigeria.
“We are happy to recall that the actualisation of Abiola’s mandate was one struggle Asiwaju Tinubu committed himself to very seriously. Therefore, on a day like this,we cannot but congratulate our national leader on the recognition of both Abiola and June 12 by the federal government. It is yet another victory for Akanbi, the people’s leader. Once again, Asiwaju, congratulations on this well deserved victory”, he said while congratulating Tinubu.
Further, he stated, “We are here to extol the democratic virtues of our leader, Asiwaju Tinubu, not only for standing firm on the June 12, 1993 mandate until it was recognized by the federal government, but also to appreciate him for his efforts at ensuring that ward and local government’s executive members of APC in Lagos State, who were first termers and loyal to the party, were reelected unopposed to their various offices across Ikorodu division in spite of stiff opposition in some quarters”.
The Director-General also used the occasion to express Team SOB’s appreciation to the national leader on his insistence for due diligence in the emergence of party executives in the ward and local government levels in Ikorodu division.
“We are also showing appreciation to Asiwaju because following his democratic insistence that due diligence must be followed in resolving some issues emanating from the congresses held across our division, APC in Ikorodu today is devoid of any crisis as leaders and members are satisfactorily working together to prepare for the forthcoming elections”.
Also, Hon. Agunbiade and Hon. Bayo Osinowo, both members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, were also singled out for appreciation for their roles in ensuring that the directive of the national leader of the party and that of the party were carried out regarding party executives who had only served one term and were seeking re-election into their respective posts at the ward and local government levels of the party.
“In the same vein, we appreciate the efforts of the Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. S.O.B Agunbiade, who also represents Ikorodu constituency 1 in the assembly, for his dogged determination in ensuring that the first termers were not denied their right to seek re-election. His relentless advocacy on their behalf and support towards justice and equity is one reason the Ikorodu APC is strongly united today. May the good God also bless the resilient Hon. Adebayo Oshinowo for his support. He’s indeed a leader of inestimable value”, he said thankfully.
“Today’s event, which featured a thank you rally through major streets of the town by party members, is to appreciate our leaders, President Buhari and Asiwaju Tinubu, as well as to give thanks to God Almighty for sustaining peace in Ikorodu APC. Of course, it is also to commemorate the June 12 anniversary as we have done in the past”.
At the rally, we had speeches by prominent speakers, eulogising both the President and the national leader and also expressing the gratitudes of party faithfuls to the two leaders for meeting the yearnings of majority of Nigerians and the Abiola family. Here with us since morning for these events are party leaders, elected APC office holders, traditional leaders, recently sworn – in LGA & Ward Executive members in Ikorodu Local Government, Ikorodu North and Ikorodu West Local Council Development Areas and other dignitaries”,Alhaji Ajalogun stated.
While also speaking at the press conference, Sir (Otunba) Ayodele Elesho, the former Commissioner for Information in Lagos State and the State Labour leader during the June 12 struggle, recounted the involvement of the Labour union in the emergence of late Chief Moshood Abiola as the Presidential candidate at the Jos Convention.
He stated that the labour movement adopted late Abiola and his party, Social Democratic Party (SDP) based on ideology and principles and what the late symbol of the party stood for.
He also recounted how the state security agents harassed him and his family in the dark days of the military regime because of the insistence by him and other labour officers on revalidation of June 12 mandate.
Otunba Elesho, however, called on Nigerians to continue to live the ideals and principles of June 12 for a better country.
