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  • Tinubu condemns calls for secession, break-up

    Tinubu condemns calls for secession, break-up

    All Progressives Congress (APC) national stalwart, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, yesterday berated the brains behind the recent  quit notice to certain  Nigerians to leave the  north, and warned such people  to desist forthwith.

    He said, “Voices calling for violence must be roundly condemned for it is wrong to incite brother to go against brother and neighbour to combat neighbour,” Tinubu said in his Eid-el-Fitri message to Nigerians.

    “Voices calling for secession and break-up are wrong and should not be followed,” he declared in a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Tunde Rahman.

    The spirit of sacrifice, self discipline, goodwill, justice, tolerance, mercy, forgiveness and compassion inherent in the Ramadan Fast, he said, should remain with Muslim faithful to guide their day-to-day interactions and relationships with one another.

    He added: “For all Muslim brothers and sisters and indeed for all Nigerians, may this be a happy and peaceful Eid-el-Fitri.

    “The holy month of Ramadan is now past but we dare not allow the spirit and the true meaning behind the holy month also pass. We must keep hold of the excellent and wonderful things the holy month of Ramadan signifies.

    “Ramadan is more than a month of fasting. We fast to strengthen our relationship and our appreciation of Allah. We fast to make ourselves better servants of both Allah and our fellow man. As such, we must emerge from the fast imbued with the spirit of sacrifice, self discipline, goodwill, justice, tolerance, mercy, forgiveness and compassion.

    “As we enter into the celebration that now follows, these attributes must remain with us to guide, as if by compass, our day-to-day interactions and relationships with one another.

    “In this spirit also we must face the travails that confront our nation. As people led by the spirit and strength of our diversity, togetherness and charity towards all, we must also proclaim and declare our support for the unity and genuine integration of all Nigerians under one flag, in one indivisible nation.

    “Voices calling for violence must be roundly condemned for it is wrong to incite brother to go against brother and neighbour to combat neighbour. Voices calling for secession and break-up are wrong and should not be followed.

    “However, in the spirit of understanding, we must listen to the genuine concerns of our fellow Nigerians so that we may make of ourselves a stronger, more unified and prosperous nation built on a foundation of dialogue and collective purpose.

    “We must join hands in order to bring progress. We must decide whether our diversity shall be our strength or our weakness. It is for us and no one else to determine. The lessons of the holy month of Ramadan point to the success of unity not the failure of division.

    “Let us move in this way that we may make of ourselves a better people and nation in which all people, Muslim and non-Muslim, may live in trust, peace and justice as Allah would have it be.”

  • Nigeria’s democracy a work in progress, says Tinubu

    Nigeria’s democracy a work in progress, says Tinubu

    •Shettima, others: we should remain united    •Why Ayade was picked, by Igiebor

    Nigeria is not yet a “full-blown” democracy but a work in progress, All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said.

    He said everyone must work towards moving Nigeria from being a “civilian dispensation” to a true democracy.

    The former Lagos State governor spoke in Lagos at the weekend when he received the National Icon of Democracy award at the Tell Awards for Excellence 2016.

    It was held at the Civic Centre on Victoria Island on Saturday night.

    Tinubu, represented by former Lagos Commissioner for Information and Strategy Mr. Dele Alake, said some of the tenets of democracy were still lacking, adding that such heights could be attained.

    “This civilian dispensation that we have – we don’t call it full blown democracy. What we have today is a civilian dispensation. So, our democracy is a work in progress, and we believe by the grace of God that we’ll achieve full blown democracy in our time.

    “So, every one of us must work towards full blown democracy in Nigeria. We all know the tenets and principles of full blown democracy. And we hope we shall achieve them in our own time in Nigeria,” he said.

    Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade and his Borno counterpart Kashim Shettima jointly won the Governor of the Year Award. Ayade was represented by Deputy Governor Prof. Ivara Esu.

    First Lady Mrs. Aisha Buhari was named the Woman of the Year. She was represented by her Chief of Staff Dr. Hajo Sani.

    Man of the Year awards went to the Ooni of Ife Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi and Emir of Kano Muhammad Sanusi II.

    Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Prof. Umar Danbatta got the Chief Executive Officer of the Year award; the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) received the Public Organisation of the Year award; while Dangote Cement was named the Private Sector Organisation of the Year.

    Chairman of Zinox Group Leo Stan Ekeh was got the Lifetime Pioneering Entrepreneur of the Year award; Air Peace won the Domestic Airline of the Year, while the Comptroller-General of Immigration Muhammad Babandede got the Outstanding Public Servant of the Year award.

    Post-humous awards were given to the pioneer Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch magazine, the late Dele Giwa, and the human rights crusader, the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN).

    Giwa got the All-Time Award of National Icon of Freedom of Speech; Fawehinmi got the All-Time National Hero Award for Rule of Law and Human Rights Advocacy.

    Tinubu praised Tell for its commitment to democracy through advocacy journalism, and urged other media outfits to emulate it.

    “People of my own generation have nothing but nostalgia for the type of journalism that Tell represented in those heady days of militarism. Tell was at the forefront of advocacy journalism, with an array of prolific writers dishing out deep and thought provoking analysis on the state of Nigeria with the attendant risk to their own lives.

    “Nigerian journalism today must return to that era of deep investigative journalism, of probing facts, incisive analysis, insightful opinions, and cogent editorials, so that the level of enlightenment of Nigerians can be enhanced towards enthronement of democracy,” he said.

    Some of the awardees spoke of the need to sustain Nigeria’s unity.

    Shettima, who condemned the quit notice issued the Igbo by Northern youth groups, said the country’s strength lies in its diversity.

    “No one has the mandate to give anyone a quit notice. We are very proud of the Igbo. Nobody can drive them out of the North,” he said.

    He urged the elite and elders to be united in their condemnation of all forms of “extremism”, adding that everything must be done to keep Nigeria united.

    “The hope of the black man lies in the people of Nigeria,” Shettima said.

    Giving the reasons why Ayade was picked, Igiebor said:   ”Ayade’s leadership style has shown that with the right kind of leaders, Nigeria can indeed be a great country we all dream of.”

    He added: “When the committee decided that we threw the selection process open to Nigerians to decide who their Governor of the Year was, Ayade’s name was a recurrent decimal because of his outstanding performance in Cross River State.

    “We wanted to celebrate heroes of service in Nigeria. Ayade was less than two years in office and he had already shown the way as well as become a role model in the country.”

    He noted that the organisers of the award were impressed with the governor’s performs in such a short time despite the challenges of the economy.

    Ayade, who was represented by Deputy Governor Ivara Esu, said it was a great challenge to deliver democratic dividends to the citizenry, given the parlous state of the economy and the harsh realities of the current economic recession.

    The late Fawehimni’s son, Mohammed, faulted agitations for secession by various groups, and reiterated that Nigeria’s strength lies in its diversity.

    Tell’s President Nosa Igiebor said the awards recognised credibility and worthiness of the “distinguished Nigerians.”

    He paid tribute to the late Moshood Abiola, whose election as President was annulled.

    Igiebor said it was an irony that the Southwest resisted moves to immortalise Abiola by renaming the University of Lagos after him.

    But, Alake disagreed, saying the Southwest’s seeming rejection of the honour was because Abiola deserved a national honour and recognition, such as having the National Stadium in Abuja named after him.

    Also at the event were former Information Minister Prince Tony Momoh, Vanguard Publisher Sam Amuka, former Lagos Deputy Governor Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, The Nation Editorial Board Chairman Sam Omatseye, Chief Adeniyi Akintola (SAN), among others.

  • Tinubu hosts town hall meeting

    All is set for another edition of the quarterly meeting of Senator Oluremi Tinubu with the people of Lagos central senatorial district. According to a release from the office of the Senator representing Lagos central senatorial district at the national assembly, the meeting is part of her efforts toward bringing governance closer to the people. The quarterly meeting, geared towards promoting transparency and accountability, is the 22nd edition. It is billed to hold at Lagos City Hall, Catholic Mission Street, Lagos Island on Tuesday, 20th June, 2017 by 9.00am.

    Organisers say the meeting will also serve as another avenue to fulfill her promise of empowering constituents under her Youth Empowerment & Skill Acquisition Scheme (YESAS). “The interactive session shall be used to evaluate, highlight and discuss the activities of the Senate and success recorded so far since the inauguration of the 8th Assembly, Women Economic Empowerment Scheme (WEES), Post-Secondary School Scholarship Scheme (PSSS), Post-Elderly Citizens Assistance Scheme (ECAS) and Youth Empowerment & Skill Acquisition Scheme (YESAS).

    All members of the Lagos central senatorial district, party chieftains and supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at ward and state levels are invited to the meeting which is the 8th edition in the 8th Assembly.

    “Guests and members of the public are expected to be seated at 9:00am for the meeting,” the statement said.

     

  • Tinubu: let’s be vigilant

    Tinubu: let’s be vigilant

    All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday urged Nigerians to “keep and nurture democracy, not for the sake of democracy but for the sake of the country”.

    “We must remember that should we fall asleep, there are those who would like nothing better than to take it from us,” he said in his message on the occasion of this year’s Democracy Day and  second year of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

    In a statement by the former Lagos State Governor’s Media Office issued by his Media Adviser, Mr. Tunde Rahman, Tinubu said: “Democracy Day and our commemoration of it must be more than an empty ritual. It must add up to more than another reason to have another holiday.

    “We, as a people, choose democracy as our preferred form of governance not because it would be easy to achieve or to hold even once we have it. We choose democracy because history has taught us that the welfare of the people is best and perhaps only secured by government responsive and accountable to the people. This can only be democracy.

    “Many Nigerians have fought and sacrificed to enshrine democracy as our way of governance. We mark this day in honour of these people many of whom laboured in obscurity and without proper thanks to achieve this precious thing for the nation.

    “We mark this day to keep in remembrance that we must not take this good form of government for granted. We must keep and nurture it, not for democracy’s sake but for our own sake. We must remember that should we fall asleep, there are those who would like nothing better than to take it from us. We must remain vigilant and by doing so ensure a better future and better Nigeria for ourselves and our progeny.

    “Thus, I congratulate Nigerians on this day. I congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari and urge him and his administration to continue to do all it can to protect and improve our democratic way of life.”

  • Tinubu to Holyfield: You’re still a champion, don’t knock me out

    Tinubu to Holyfield: You’re still a champion, don’t knock me out

     

    APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has described former world boxing champion, Evander Holyfield as a champion but cautioned the boxing legend not to knock him out when they battle in an exhibition fight as part of the events marking the 50th anniversary of Lagos State.

    Tinubu who spoke during the meeting with the boxer before today’s encounter said boxing is a discipline that promotes determination and courage, adding that sport can also help to diversify the economy.

    Sport has the potential of promoting Nigeria faster and further than other sphere of the country. Using Anthony Joshua as an example, Nigeria’s first lawyer was called to the bar in the 19th century but nobody is interested in that. But the whole world knows Anthony Joshua is a Nigerian.

    The former Lagos State Governor said: “I know you are still a champion but don’t knock me out.”

    For Holyfield, inspiring the youth remains one of his priorities during the visit to Nigeria. “It is an honour to inspire the youths. For young athletes to succeed, they should surround themselves with goal driven, motivated people. I remember when I was young, my mum did not want me playing with my older siblings because they were quitters and she did not want me to be a quitter. I know the road to success is tough, but young athletes have to keep on going and not quit.”

    The Landmark Centre in Lekki will host the exhibition bout tagged “The Rhumble”  which is the first of its kind on the African continent will also feature Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka as referee.

     

  • Tinubu, Buhari’s wife, Ooni, others bag TELL awards

    Tinubu, Buhari’s wife, Ooni, others bag TELL awards

    The maiden edition of the Annual TELL Awards for Excellence will hold on June 17 at the Civic Center, Ozumba, Mbadiwe Avenue, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    It is organised by TELL Communications Limited, publishers of TELL magazine.

    President and Chief Executive of TELL Communications Limited, Mr. Nosa Igiebor, said the selection and voting processes were opened to the public to ensure transparency, credibility and fairness.

    The Tell Man of the Year awards will go to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, and His Royal Highness, Sarkin Kano, Emir Muhammad Sanusi 11.

    Tell Woman of the Year is the First Lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari.

    Governor of the Year is Cross River State Prof. Ben Ayade and Borno State Gov. Kashim Shettima.

    All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is the winner of the National Icon of Democracy award.

    Other winners are Air Peace Airline, as well as post-humous awards for the late Dele Giwa and the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN), among others.

  • Lagos @ 50: Holyfield dares Tinubu

    Lagos @ 50: Holyfield dares Tinubu

    Legendary five-time World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Evander “Real Deal” Holyfield will take on former Lagos State Governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT) in an exhibition boxing match as part of the events marking the 50th anniversary of Lagos State.

    The charity event tagged “The Rhumble”  which is the first of its kind on the African continent, will also feature Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka referee the event which will take place at The Landmark Centre, Lekki on May 25 by 6pm.

    Mr Wole Adeniyi, CEO of ACI Entertainment and promoter of the event said that the event will be celebrating the Center of Excellence at 50  and bring worldwide attention to health-related issues in Africa like Autism in Children, River Blindness, Mental illness among the elderly.

    He also added that Evander Holyfield, who defeated Mike Tyson twice in the 90s, the second fight being famous for the ear biting incident when Tyson bit off part of his eyes will be donating $2m worth of medical supplies and equipment to the Lagos State Government and various charities across Nigeria.

    Holyfield, who became the undisputed world heavyweight champion when he defeated James “Buster” Douglas in 1990 will be arriving into the country on the 23rd.

    The newly-elected President, Nigeria Boxing Board of Control (NBB of C) Dr Rafiu Ladipo said it is important that the boxing community celebrates with the center of excellence and the NBB of C is happy to sanction the exhibition bout which will also see amateur boxers from Lagos State participate.

  • The Tinubu factor in Yoruba and Nigerian affairs

    An article like this necessarily must commence with a caveat. There is a usual angst when it comes to writing about public figures, and especially when these figures are politicians who are caught in the eye of the storm. If there is any political figure whose reputation has always hung in the balance, it is Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. There is therefore the likely expectation that one would be expected to toe the line of the regular Tinubu-bashing that has become the pastime of political commentators in Nigeria. My commentary will be more reclamatory than condemnatory. The leadership problematic in Nigeria requires that we pay adequate attention to rescuing what is given to us in terms of leaders and those who can be forced to achieve what is needed for the task of nation building in Nigeria. And all this becomes imperative despite their human frailty.

    Asiwaju Tinubu’s significance straddles not only Yoruba affairs but also the postcolonial fate of Nigeria. He began as an activist-politician whose democratic audacity, together with the tenacious agitation of NADECO, caught the attention and hearts of Nigerians at the height of the aborted June 12 democratic saga in Nigeria. The significance of June 12, in my reckoning, goes beyond the truncation of the electoral victory of Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola. On the contrary, and like almost every political issue in Nigeria, it goes to the very heart of Nigerian national integration which lies at the heart of the national project. It was a crisis that almost consumed the soul of Nigeria. Its reverberation is still at the heart of party politics in Nigeria and the diversity of the political anomalies that ails us. It stands to reason therefore that those who fought the war of liberation, as it were, deserves a trajectory analysis that attempts to cumulate their contribution to the larger issue of the salvaging of the Nigerian nation.

    Tinubu is no hero. On the contrary, he is a politician who cannot be understood within the regular understanding of politicking in Nigeria. I concede that he is a master of political gambit which is required if anyone ever hopes to survive the complex minefields of political intrigues that characterize Nigeria’s realpolitik. But it seems to me that calling Tinubu a political realist is the most consummate compliment one can ever hope to give him. And this is all the more so within the context of the complex relationship that links the governance of the Yoruba with the future of Nigeria. Whether we like it or not, the existence of the Yoruba nation, as well as any other nation within the Nigerian plural context of nationhood, is significant for the survival of Nigeria as we want it to be. If this is correct, then it stands to reason that we need a concept of leadership that has the capacity to hold Nigeria together in its plurality.

    Asiwaju Tinubu is one leader out of many who has been involved in the turbulence of making Nigeria work. He is unique not only because, like other politicians, he is concerned with the dynamics of power and power play. On the contrary, Tinubu’s political gambit is usually tied in with the political fate of the Southwest within the overall development of Nigeria. Let us begin with the successful governance story of Lagos State. I suspect that any attempt at narrating the turning point of the governance story that transformed Lagos would have to factor the Tinubu governorship years into the Lagos governance history. But that is not imaginative in the sense that the development dynamics of Nigeria in itself requires sustainability if any governance creativity of one governor is to have any positive and continuing effects on the lives of the citizens of any state. Thus, Tinubu did not just end his tenure as governor and then retired to savour his wealth and goodwill. His political gambit was to further that legacy of good governance through a calculated political engineering that brought in Babatunde Raji Fasola, and then recently Governor Akinwunmi Ambode. If godfathers exist to perpetuate good governance, then I am for Tinubu as a godfather. Lagos State therefore play host to a significant governance story which I have argued should be replicated throughout the Southwest as a critical response to the challenges of restructuring and anomalous fiscal federalism in Nigeria.

    However, the Tinubu factor in politics is not just a Southwest brand alone. It is to his credit that a credible opposition could be mustered to dislodge a sit-tight political party with a slogan of ruling Nigeria for many years rather than empowering millions of poverty-stricken Nigerians who voted the party into power. Does this political clout for ideological politics in the midst of a pandemic of insane self-aggrandizement count for anything when considering the future of Nigeria? I have always been a student of leadership dynamics not only within the organizational framework or as a managerial necessity. Chinua Achebe’s lamentation about the absence of leadership in Nigeria strikes a deep core in me. Leadership is the most cogent factor in any reform effort either at the organisational or national level. However, the search for this reform factor must be as realistic as the context within which the search is taking place. It will be an irresponsible expectation to think that Nigeria can ever throw up a saint or savior without sin who will take us to the Promise Land.

    The fundamental question for me is: What can be done with or gained from Tinubu’s political capital as a significant dynamics come 2019? The type of political capital Nigeria requires for a significant national reform is definitely not one that deploys charisma for the purpose of dumb electoral victory. On the contrary, there is the need for an ideological arrowhead that could serve as the rallying point for a progressive recalibration of politics around which we can redefine democratic governance in Nigeria. With his Lagos governance success, Asiwaju Tinubu displays many political virtues that (a) speaks to the fact that he is his own person; and (b) ideology matters in good governance. A leader that moves with the tides of political maneuvers is definitely one without a backbone required to move ideas to practice. I see this clearly in Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s political character. Yet he became a toast of not only the Southwest but of the North. Tinubu himself is far from a politician that is subject to the self-interested will of others. And leadership, for me, is first and foremost, self-evident will power. More significantly, leadership requires an ideological fuel that ought to become the source of ideas and ideals that can motivate policy conceptions and implementations.

    Nigeria’s present season of anomie and the manifestation of obscene corruption reveal that ideology dies within the dense atmosphere of political greed. Is it possible to extricate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu from the rubric of corrupt politicking? That is a question we must wait for time and chance to reveal. But it seems to me that there is more to the Tinubu factor than achieving a grim certainty that he is a corrupt politician. Of more interest is the need to delimit a sphere of progressive politics in Nigeria—the kind of thinking that led to the evolution of Alliance for Democracy and later the APC—that will accommodate all democratic and patriotic minded politicians and patriots around the possibility of making Nigeria a democratically viable and developed country. Thus, can Nigerians see the forest for the trees? Is it not time for us to commence reclamation of those who possess the political wherewithal to lead a silent revolution of leadership in Nigeria? Can Tinubu’s ethnic commitment be excavated into a national development dynamic? In what sense can politicians and national figures like Tinubu and OBJ become the central discursive point in a leadership theory in Nigeria which speaks to a pragmatic understanding of politics as determined by flawed characters?

    With Tinubu, we have an opportunity to commence an articulation of a Nigerian leadership theory that commences from where Nigeria is at the moment and then moves on to what possible progress we can achieve with what we have in terms of people and capitals. “Leadership,” Robin Sharma tells us, “is not about a title or a designation. It’s about impact, influence and inspiration. Impact involves getting results, influence is about spreading the passion you have for your work…” If we can get beyond the present disillusionment we now have with the crop of politicians who raid our votes and destroy the commonwealth, we may actually begin to find a means of rethinking a framework of political leadership which, however flawed it may be, provides the most available juncture from which we can move forward as a nation. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I argue, provides a good starting point in that reflection.

  • Tinubu Praises Lagos Speaker Obasa

    Tinubu Praises Lagos Speaker Obasa

    All Progressives Congress (APC), stalwart Asiwaju Bola Tinunu has praised Hon. Mudashiru Obasa for his exemplary role as the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

    Tinubu gave this commendation at the Stakeholders’ Meeting of the Lagos State APC, which took place at the party secretariat.

    The party leader, who addressed party faithful on the proposed local government elections in the state, praised the Speaker for his maturity and purposeful leadership, which led to the defection of six lawmakers from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.

    Tinubu commended Obasa for ensuring peace and tranquility in the House, which has engendered smooth relationship with the Executive arm of government, which has led to the massive development and growth of the state.

    “Our Speaker, Obasa is doing a fantastic job. He’s performing really well. He’s doing well and his performance has been fantastic,” he said.

     

  • PDP won’t win in any Lagos council, says Tinubu

    PDP won’t win in any Lagos council, says Tinubu

    All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Tinubu yesterday predicted success for the party in the July 22 local government polls in Lagos State.

    According to him, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would not win in any of the 57 councils and development areas.

    Tinubu said Lagosians would vote for the candidates of the party because Governor Akinwunmi Ambode had lived up to expectation, adding that the people at the grassroots were anticipating the reenactment of the superlative performance across the 20 local governments and 37 local council development areas.

    He said if performance and purposeful leadership were the criteria for voting, the electorate would vote for the APC chairmanship and councillorship candidates as they voted for Ambode two years ago.

    Tinubu pleaded with members to accept the decision of the party to give automatic tickets to 18 former chairmen in recognition of their loyalty, commitment and efforts and the decision that the sole administrators who took over from the Executive Secretaries (ES) should not contest election.

    The former Lagos State governor spoke on preparations for the elections at the enlarged meeting of APC stakeholders held at the party secretariat. Acme Road, Ogba. It was attended by Governor Ambode, party elders, apex leaders, party officers, legislators, members of the State Executive Council, grassroots leaders, aspirants and their supporters.

    Lagos APC Chairman Oladele Ajomale inaugurated a seven-man Lagos APC Local Government Appeal Committee headed by former Deputy Governor Olufemi Pedro.

    Other members of the committee are the APC Assistant legal Adviser, Mrs. Toke Benson (secretary), former Secretary to Government Princess Adenrele Ogunsanya, Prof. Aderibigbe, Idris Thany, a lawyer, Mr. Femi Laoye and Dr. Solomon Aina, a former council chairman.

    Also, a five-man State Electoral Committee headed by Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi was set up to conduct a credible primary. Other members of the committee are Senior Special Assistant to Ambode on Political Affairs Adekunle Olayinka (secretary), Otunba Alabi Macfoy, Hon. Hakeem Sulaimon Oris, Alhaja Sade Abiola-Agbalajobi and Mr. Tayo Alabi.

    Ajomale urged the members of the two committees to be above board in the discharge of their assignments, adding that eyes would be on them before and during the exercise.

    Ambode enjoined party faithful to work round the clock to ensure victory at the poll, adding that the state can only make steady progress, if the party controls the local governments.

    He attributed his victory in the 2015 poll to the dedication of party members and leaders, especially Tinubu, urging the party faithful not to relent in their quest for electoral victory.

    Ambode said: “Almost exactly two years after, we have cause to thank God. I am able to look back that the confidence you give me two years ago and all of you working together to make sure I defeated the PDP candidate was no small feat.

    “I have come here, not only to attend this meeting, but to say a big thank you to all of you. I want to thank you for being the first set of people that believed in me and thereafter, God has been so gracious. He has not allowed me to disappoint you. I want to say a big thank you to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the state APC chairman and Exco members for supporting that cause.

    “If there is any party remaining in Nigeria today, that party is manifested in all the good things coming out of Lagos State. Why are we here; we are here to count our blessings and renew the cause of unity to move forward as one great party.

    “I want to implore all of us, whatever it is that would have transpired, it is very clear that this coming council election is all in your hands; just the same way we have done in the last two years, my call to all members of our great party is that all 57 local governments and 37 local council development areas must be won by APC without exception.”

    Tinubu revisited the 2015 general election, lamenting that the APC lost some national and state legislative seats to the PDP in controversial circumstances.

    Describing the election as very challenging, he recalled how former President Goodluck Jonathan invaded Lagos with huge money to woo voters and create confusion.

    He lauded the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, noting that his exemplary leadership led to the defection of six PDP legislators to the APC.

    Turning to Ambode, Tinubu urged him to increase security presence in Surulere to check violence.

    He said the growing wave of violence was worrisome, adding that the menace should be nipped in the bud.

    Tinubu said: “I urge the people of Surulere to be patient and peaceful. We will all benefit from the party.”

    The former governor hailed Ambode for his sterling performance, saying he did not let the party down.

    At the meeting were Deputy Governor Idiat Adebule, House of Assembly Speaker Obasa, House of Representatives Majority Leader Femi Gbajabiamila, former university don Prof. Tunde Samuel, APC Vice Chairman Chief Funso Ologunde and former Information and Strategy Commissioner Mr. Dele Alake.