The All Progressives Congress (APC), Lagos State Chapter Tuesday took delivery of 12 campaign van from the Arewa Community in the Lagos chapter of the party.
The vehicles, according to the leadership of the Community, are in support of its campaign for the general election coming up on February 25 and March 11 to confirm their unflinching support for the presidential bid of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Second term aspiration of the state governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu as well as other candidates of the part across board.
Presenting the branded vehicles Tuesday evening at the party Secretariat of the community along Palmgrove area of Yaba, the State Chairman of the Arewa Community in APC, Engineer Saadu Gulma Yusuf Dandare said, “it is in fulfilment of the Arewa Community’s promise of total support for the party in the state most especially the aspiration of the former governor of the state Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu to become the next president of the Federal republic of Nigeria on May, 29, 2023.”
According to him, the support would percolate down to all the candidates under the ticket of the party from the governor through the members of the two National Assembly Houses to the State of Assembly flag bearer of the party, assuring the party of 100 per cent of the members of the Arewa Community in Lagos State.
Collecting the keys of the vehicles from Gulmaa Dandare, the state Chairman of the party, Hon. Cornelius Oyefolu Ojelabi on behalf of Tinubu and the Lagos Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu thanked the community for its support and cordial relationship between the Arewa people and the natives as well as with other ethnic nationalities in Lagos.
“We want to appreciate the good things you have been doing for the state and the party. We always appreciate your stand on unity and peace. You are trust-worthy and committed to the path of truth. Your yes is always Yes and your no is always no. that is why you are a good relationship managers,” Ojelabi remarked amidst standing ovation.
The State chairman, who described the Arewa community as “our blood brothers and sisters,” commended them for their immense contributions to the commerce, economy and political stability of the state, assuring them that, the political patronage the state has been extended to them would not cease but increase.
Also speaking at the event, Director of Ethnic Affairs in Lagos Executive Chairman, Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government, Hon. Fatai Adekunle Ayoola expressed the delight over the total assimilation of the Arewa Community into the indigenous setting of the state, describing their relationship with the people and government of the state as very robust and heart-warming, urging them to continue in that manner as the state is taking note of that, which he said would be more appreciated as usual.
Director-General (DG), Arewa Support Movement for APC, Muhammed Maikano Lawal, in a chipped in that, the Tuesday event was just the official commissioning of the vehicles just as he informed that, “we have been providing the APC logistics in form of campaign vans across the south-west before these and we will continue to do so,” revealing that, “as we speak, more are still on the way.”
Maikano Lawal however corrected the erroneous impression that Arewa Community is peopled only by the Hausa Fulani, saying, the community all-encompassing with the inclusion of all the ethnic nationalities residents in the northern axis of the country like The Igala, the Tivs, the Gwaris, the Ebiras, Jukuns, Kanuris and Nupes to mention just a few.
Our correspondent independently learnt reliably that the community has donated not less than 150 vehicles to the APC in the south west showing the strong affinity the Arewa Community and the APC are enjoying between themselves.
The Arewa Community is a political Movement in support of the APC with the belief that the party will bring in the required change and progress in areas of infrastructural development, healthcare delivery, youth development and women empowerment as well as security and social welfare of the citizenry.
And their coming together, according to their chatter was aimed at ensuring a harmonious relationship between the Arewa Community, the government, the party and all Arewa Support Groups and for the platform to leverage on their numerical strength for members to actively participate in the activities of the various upport Groups to add value to government and its activities.
Their objectives also include building capacity for the members for active participation and in the party and government affairs as well as to encourage all members to contest elective positions with a view to strengthening democracy.
Also present at the carnival-like event were the APC Apex Leader, Prince Rabiu Adio Oluwa, Arewa Community in APC, Lagos West 2, Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko Auna and Arewa APC Woman Leader, Barrister (Hajia) Fatima Bako, led the northern women who entertained the audience with flawless assorted Yoruba political sing-songs that electrified the occasion memorable.
