Kunle Adelabu
The former Group Managing Director /Chief Executive Officer of the Polaris Bank PLC, Mr Adetokunbo Abiru, on Monday, September 7, 2020, officially pronounced as the Senatorial flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the October 31 Senatorial bye-election for the Lagos East.
He was presented the party’s flag by the Lagos State Chairman of the party, Alhaji Tunde Balogun and other party chieftains, at the State party’s Secretariat in ACME, lkeja.
Abiru also used the occasion to present his Senatorial agenda to the people.
The Lagos East Senatorial seat in the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly in Abuja became vacant following the sudden death of the former occupant, Late Sen. Adebayo Osinowo.
The Senatorial candidate after getting the party’s flag to represent the Lagos East Senatorial District in the coming bye – election, visited the Ayangbure of Ikorodu, His Royal Majesty, Oba Kabir Shotobi and leaders of the APC to inform them of the development and presented them with the flag.
Abiru, who was the sole aspirant in the APC Primary election held on Thursday, September 3, 2020, across the five Local Governments and Wards Lagos East Senatorial District, was affirmed with 111,551 votes to emerge winner.
In his acceptance speech at the presentation event, Abiru thanked party leaders and members across the District for his affirmation and pledged to discharge his responsibilities to the party, Lagos East, State and the country as a whole.
“I thank our leaders and members across Epe, Ibeju-Lekki, Ikorodu, Kosofe and Somolu for this historic and humbling decision. This affirmation, for me, is perhaps the highest honour I have ever received as a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria since I was born some decades ago.
“The mandate comes with a huge responsibility to bear the flag of our party in the forthcoming bye- election, a mandate and responsibility I appreciate and do not take lightly.
“With great honor and humility, I accept this nomination as the APC candidate for Lagos East Senatorial Bye-Election”.
While unveiling his programmes, the APC Senatorial candidate pledged to focus on two agendas which are – joining hands with other lawmakers from Lagos at the National Assembly to bring the clamour for special Status for Lagos into fruition and helping in repositioning the national economy for better performances.
“In my role as a Senator, my legislative activities will be anchored on two over-riding considerations:
“Joining hands with my senior distinguished colleagues in the Senate (Senator Oluremi Tinubu and Senator Olamilekan Adeola ‘aka’ Yayi) and the Honourable Members of the House of Representatives from the state, led by my dear brother and Speaker, Right Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, to further enhance the efforts to secure a Special Status for Lagos State in view of its role as Nigeria’s commercial, financial, industrial, media and entertainment capital; the pressure on Lagos State infrastructure due to federal establishments like sea ports, airports and military installations and the massive rate of migration into Lagos State from all over the country.
“A deep desire to contribute towards improving national economic performance including, in particular, national revenue generation, industrialisation, infrastructure development, financial deepening and inclusion, national broadband coverage, employment generation and poverty reduction”, Abiru added.
In pursuit of these agendas, the Senatorial candidate stated that he intends paying attention to some projects and initiatives which will have a significant impact on Lagos East Senatorial District in particular and Lagos State in general.
According to the unveiled agenda, Abiru intends to focus on the, “Speedy completion of the rehabilitation of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and accelerated completion of the ongoing Epe-Ijebu Ode Expressway and ancillary industrialization along that axis”.
He also vowed to aid the “Development of the tourism potentials of the Ibeju-Lekki area with enhanced development of hotels, resorts, golf courses and other world class entertainment and hospitality projects in the region.
Also, he intends to,“Sustained industrial and commercial investment in industrial/commercial areas within the Lagos East Senatorial District, including Ikorodu, Epe, Ibeju-Lekki, Shomolu and Kosofe and ensure Urban renewal, regeneration and security in the entirety of the Senatorial district”.
The former boardroom guru also revealed that he will introduce different programmes to support and empower women, youths, aged and unemployed among others.
“I promise to establish and institutionalise programmes for the poor, the vulnerable, the unemployed, the aged and for youths and women generally to create empowerment, employment generation, capacity building, employability and poverty reduction within all parts of the Lagos East Senatorial District”, Abiru said.
“ I have done this as a private citizen and will sustain and enhance such activities as an elected Senator”.
He charged party leaders and members to ensure a resounding victory for APC by mobilizing electorates to come out en mass to exercise their votes for him as the Senator that would represent Lagos East come October 31.
“I accept this nomination with humility and gratitude and I appeal to our leaders and members not to rest on our oars.
“We have complied with the requirements of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the constitution of our great party.
“Now we have a great task ahead to canvass voters from house to house and convince undecided or unenthusiastic registered electorate to vote APC in the bye-election. We have the onus to end the culture of apathy that always characterizes our elections. In Lagos, we have six million registered voters”, he charged party members.
“In Lagos East alone, there are about two million registered voters. This figure is an invaluable political asset that we must deploy as party faithfuls to make an unambiguous statement for the political future of our state”.
