Ahead of the November 16 governorship election in Ondo State, Lagos state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has said the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the southwest will continue to work with stakeholders to ensure APC remains the party of choice.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, who is the APC southwest zonal coordinator, said members of the National Working Committee and Zonal Working Committee will intervene on issues and engage with critical stakeholders to ensure they enjoy the dividends of democracy.
He spoke after a meeting with national and zonal executive members from the Southwest at the Lagos House in Marina.
The national chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, inaugurated and presented letters to six governors at the party headquarters in Abuja on March 26, to co-ordinate party activities and reconcile aggrieved members in each zone.
The zonal coordinators are Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Southwest), Hope Uzodimma (Southeast), Bassey Otu (South-South), AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (North-Central), Mai Mala Buni (North-East), and Uba Sani (North-West).
Sanwo-Olu pledged to live up to the responsibility by working with the team to reposition and strengthen the party in the Southwest.
The governor, who was handed a congratulatory letter on his appointment as zonal coordinator for APC southwest, said the inaugural meeting was to deliberate and come up with far-reaching decisions that would put the party on its feet and the right pedestal.
He said: “We are engaging in all the issues that we have in all our states and trying to bring all of us together. We are beginning to look at areas where we can intervene as a zone, especially with critical stakeholders. We have identified students, youths, and people living with disabilities. We all have things we can do differently.
“We all have things from the Southwest that we can continue to push into our national conversation to ensure that stakeholders in the region are focused, and that people feel the real dividends of democracy. And to generally put APC as the biggest party in Africa, the biggest party in the country, and to continue to remain the biggest party in the Southwest.
“We have identified the places we need to work, and the work is continuous. We are working in Oyo State. We will continue to work in Osun State. We will continue to work in Ondo State. Ondo State has a unique issue because we have an election coming that affects all parties.
“Some candidates have been thrown out; there are people who have aspired to be aspirants and will turn out to be candidates after the primary elections. We are all brothers and sisters; we will resolve all our issues in-house, and I want to assure you that APC will continue to remain the party of choice in Ondo State.”
The zonal officers, who cast a vote of confidence in Sanwo-Olu as the coordinator, said his appointment is well deserved.
They also pledged their support and loyalty to the governor as he leads the Southwest zone to strengthen and reposition it for the future.
National Vice Chairman (Southwest) Isaacs Kekemeke, who read a communiqué after the meeting, said they have decided to ensure harmonisation and reconciliation in all states of the Southwest, particularly in Oyo, Osun, and Ondo states, where the party will participate in a governorship election later this year.
According to him, they also resolved to prioritise empowerment and engagement with students, youths, women, and persons with disabilities, among other initiatives.
The communiqué reads: “After discussing the challenges facing the party in the Southwest, the meeting resolved to immediately set up a zonal office in Ibadan, and a liaison and operational office in Lagos since the zonal coordinator is the Governor of Lagos.
“The meeting also resolved, as part of engagement with the leadership, formal and informal, of the party, to convene a Southwest Assembly in June. The meeting also resolved that, under the leadership of Governor Sanwo-Olu, this forum will continue to engage with relevant stakeholders, to ensure their empowerment and productive engagement by the government of the federation and various governments in the southwest.”
Also at the meeting were National Secretary, Senator Bashir Ajibola; National Youth Leader, Dayo Israel; Deputy National Auditor, Femi Egbedeyi; National Ex-Officio Member (Southwest), Olubunmi Oriniowo; Zonal Secretary, Vincent Bewaji; Zonal Organising Secretary, Dr. Lateef Ibirogba; Zonal Publicity Secretary, Chief Ayo Afolabi; Zonal Woman Leader, Yetunde Adesanya; Zonal Leader of People Living with Disability, Comrade Moshood Erubami and APC Chairmen in Southwest states – Cornelius Ojelabi (Lagos), Chief Yemi Sanusi (Ogun), Chief Isaac Omodewu (Oyo), Sooko Tajudeen Lawal (Osun), Engr. Ade Adetimehin (Ondo) and Sola Elesin (Ekiti).
