Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, yesterday endorsed the presidential bid of National Leader of All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, in the 2023 general polls, saying, he has the quality to lead the nation after President Muhammadu Buhari next year.
Also, a former minister of works who leads Tinubu’s campaign outfit, Prince Dayo Adeyeye; Senator Ganiyu Solomon and others maintained that the former Lagos State governor is right person to succeed Buhari.
Sanwo-Olu spoke at the official launch of a campaign group, Southwest Agenda for Asiwaju, SWAGA’23, held in Ikeja, Lagos.
Dressed in traditional attire with APC insignia, the governor was ushered in with a loud ovation as he arrived the 10 Degree Event Centre, Oregun, Ikeja venue of the event.
SWAGA’23 is a campaign group championing the cause for the candidacy of the former Lagos State Governor, Tinubu, for the 2023 presidential poll.
The group had on Monday, commenced aggressive consultations with stakeholders and power-blocs in Lagos state for endorsement of Tinubu for President in 2023.
The group had flooded Lagos metropolis with various Tinubu’s posters for the presidential contest.
Tinubu’s posters for the poll were already pasted in many strategic areas of the state, such as: Ojota, Maryland, Ketu Ikeja, Lagos Island, Ikorodu, Ikotun, Igando, Ojuelegba among others.
The group commenced a week-long sensitization, consultations and mobilisation tour in Lagos with visits to traditional rulers in Badagry, Ikeja, and Lagos divisions, soliciting for their support.
Sanwo-Olu, in his address at the launch, praised members for their doggedness, action, vision and commitment to the cause.
“You can see that Lagos has kept the best for the last. With your Action, Passion and Vision the mission is achievable,” he stated.
APC chieftain, Senator Ganiu Solomon, said Tinubu has demonstrated leadership and mentorship. “If we want progress in Nigeria, we have to present Tinubu as our presidential candidate and vote him in,” he added.
A professor of Ecotoxicolgy, University of Lagos, UNILAG, Adebayo Otitoloju, in his address, titled; ‘Credentials of the next President of Nigeria,’ said the country needed someone who can steer its ship in the right direction.
“A politician who is able to read the needs of the people, someone who can set up political machinery to achieve set tasks, a leader of leaders committed to the unity of the country. These attributes and more can be found in the National Leader of APC, Tinubu,” he added.
They said the experience of Tinubu, being a hunter for talent, lover of human development, an economic problem solver and bridge builder, made him a round peg in a round hole to replace Buhari in 2023.
They stated this at the official launch of South West Agenda for Asiwaju (SWAGA ‘23), Lagos State chapter, yesterday.
SWAGA ‘23 is a campaign group rooting for the candidature of the former Lagos governor as president in 2023.
Sanwo-Olu endorsed the activities of the group and praised members for their doggedness, action, vision and commitment to the cause of a Tinubu president.
Solomon said Tinubu had demonstrated leadership and mentorship. “If we want progress in Nigeria, we have to present Tinubu as our presidential candidate and vote him in,” he said.
Former minister of works who is also national chairman of the group, Adeyeye, thanked members of the Central Working Committee for setting the machinery, which led to the official launch of SWAGA Lagos Chapter in motion. He said the group had earlier visited over 90 Obas across the five divisions of the state.
Professor of Ecotoxicolgy, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Adebayo Otitoloju, in his keynote address titled: ‘Credentials of the next President of Nigeria,’ said the country needed “a politician who is able to read the needs of the people, someone who can set up political machinery to achieve set tasks, a leader of leaders committed to the unity of the country. These attributes and more can be found in the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu.”
Traditional rulers across Badagry and Ikeja divisions of Lagos State, had on Tuesday supported Tinubu’s 2023 presidential bid.
The traditional rulers told the leadership of the South-West Agenda (SWAGA’23), led by Senator Dayo Adeyeye, that Tinubu does not only have what it takes to lead the country but that he had also demonstrated more than enough capacity in politics, economy and other leadership aspects, especially his management of Lagos and the manner he co-ordinated South-West politics.
The monarchs made the pronouncement at various town hall meetings organised by SWAGA in Lagos, yesterday. They said that the best person to save Nigeria after the expiration of the tenure of Buhari in 2023 is Tinubu.
They stated that virtually all the ethnic groups in Nigeria that resided in Lagos during Tinubu’s tenure as governor benefited in appointment as none was treated differently.
The monarchs, therefore, promised to collaborate with other traditional rulers across the South-West and beyond to mobilise the grassroots to support the national leader.
Those monarchs from Badagry who endorsed him included the Onijanikin of Ijanikin, Oba (Dr.) Momodu Afolabi and others.
Meanwhile, the 65 monarchs in the Ikeja Division, headed by His Royal Majesty, Oba Lasisi Gbadebo Gbadamosi Oloton, the Onigando of Igando, described Tinubu as the most experienced hand to succeed President Buhari in 2023.
