As the contest for 2023 presidential election gathers momentum, political actors are intensifying strategies to ensure their candidate clinch party tickets and ultimately win the election.
This is as Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (ABAT) Movement working committee was inaugurated with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and other members of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) acclaiming the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The movement was conceived and set up by members of Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) in Lagos for the actualisation of the presidential ambition of the former Lagos State governor.
The Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Movement, James Odunmbaku, said members of the movement are committed to the realisation of the dream of Tinubu to become president of Nigeria in 2023, as part of efforts to get Nigeria back on track.
He stated that Nigeria needs a leader that can fix the economy because all the country challenges are linked to the economy, adding that the objective of the movement is to break the barrier of poverty in the society, irrespective of tribes through the propagation of federalism.
According to him, 2023 presents an opportunity to choose who will succeed President Muhammadu Buhari and it is a serious business picking the right choice, especially as Nigeria cannot afford to fail, as a lot of countries on the continent are looking up to Nigeria.
Odunmbaku said Nigerians must work to pick the right choice and Bola Tinubu is the right choice by the ABAT movement.
The chairman, Lagos State Governor’s Advisory Council, Prince Tajudeen Olusi, said the launch of ABAT was the beginning of a movement to bring the presidency to South West and Lagos State.
As part of inaugurating the working committee, the governor presented flags to local council coordinators for the movement.
“We have to be prepared and determined because the contest would be a battle of might and strength,” Mr Olusi said.
Sanwo-Olu, who delivered the keynote address at the ceremony, said the movement is about raising foot soldiers, who are committed men drawn from the 57 local councils, and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) as well as 377 wards in Lagos to propagate the gospel of not just voting wisely but also correctly in the next general election.
Sanwo-Olu said: “ What does 2023 portend for Nigerian politics and our polity? Who will lead us in this critical phase of our journey to nationhood? How will Nigeria take her leadership role in the comity of nations?
“The answers to these critical questions are deeply connected with our mission here today, the purpose of our gathering. And what is that mission? It is the historic inauguration of the Working Committee of the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (ABAT) Movement, specially created for the actualisation of the presidential dream of our leader and mentor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
Sanwo-Olu appreciated the founding fathers of the ABAT Movement for their thoughtfulness in creating the avenue for addressing the basic moral and political needs of the people.
“By undertaking to provide a platform for the people to broaden their political horizon through constant education and enlightenment, you are as well signing up to become their friends and confidants. You, therefore, cannot afford to disappoint them; you must be above board in your conduct, always. You must display exceptional commitment that is befitting of the standards already set by our principal and national leader of our great party.”
The governor said in line with Asiwaju’s humane politics; members of the movement must be open to all, tolerate various interests and embrace all good and productive ideas. “We must reflect the ideals of our leader in everything we say and do. As your first assignment, I urge you to reach out to other support groups with a view to striking a workable line of fusion and/or collaboration,” Sanwo-Olu said.
The Director General, ABAT Movement, Oyinlomo Danmole, said that all other organisations routing for Tinubu to be President in 2023 would be subsumed into the ABAT Movement in the coming days, because they are support groups, while theirs is a movement. He said state units would also be set up in all the 36 states in the coming days.
He disclosed that a 7-member committee had been set up in each of the 57 local councils in Lagos, with each committee headed by coordinator.
Danmole said that at the ward level, the movement maintained a similar committee structure of seven persons across the 377 wards, adding that registration to be part of the ward committee would be made open to residents in the coming days.
There were several goodwill messages from party leaders in the state that highlighted reasons why Tinubu is the best man for the job in 2023.
Source: Guardian.ng
