PDP Will Be Defeated On Saturday – Tinubu

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All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council Co-chairman Asiwaju Bola Tinubu yesterday urged party members in Lagos to intensify the mobilisation for Saturday’s rescheduled presidential and National Assembly elections.

Noting that the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) was jittery, he said the ruling party will defeat
the opposition party at the poll and put it to shame.

The former
Lagos State governor also explained why Igbo in Lagos should vote for
the APC, saying that the government in the Centre of Excellence has
never discriminated against them and other non-indigenes in the
distribution of the dividends of democracy.

Tinubu, who urged
women leaders to mobilise traders for the crucial poll, also advised
youths to heed President Muhammadu Buhari’s advice by shunning thuggery,
ballot snatching and other forms of violence.

He advised party
faithful to accommodate defectors from the rival PDP, saying that they
had become legitimate members of the fold whose cooperation are required
for mobiliasation for victory.

Tinubu, who urged them to use
their index fingers to thumb print on the ballot paper, advised the
party agents and canvassers to be vigilant.

He said: “You agents
must report early. Be vigilant. Shine your eyes. If an agent goes to
ease himself, the canvasser will take his position. A canvasser is also
an agent.”

The party said there will be a meeting of party
leaders with council chairmen at his Ikoyi residence today to discuss
the preparations for the Saturday election.

Exuding confidence, he said: “We will win on Saturday and we will hold a celebration rally next week.”

Tinubu addressed party members, shortly after the stakeholders’ meeting at the party secretariat on Acme Road, Ogba, Ikeja.

The
meeting was attended by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode; his deputy, Dr.
Idiat Adebule; Secretary to Government Tunji Bello; governorship
candidate Babajide Sanwo-Olu, his running mate Obafemi Hamzat; and APC
Governorship Advisory Council (GAC) members – Prince Tajudeen Olusi;
party chairman Tunde Balogun; one-time Finance Commissioner Olawale
Edun; Prince Abiodun Ogunleye; Chief Busura Alebiosu; Chief M.A. Taiwo;
Chief Murphy Adetoro; Chief Mutiu Aare; Alhaji Akanni Seriki;
Olorunfunmi Basorun; Dr. Yomi Finnih; Chief Muyiwa Sosanya and Cardinal
James Odunmbaku.

Other chieftains included: Former Minister of
State for Defence Demola Seriki; former Deputy Governor Olufemi Pedro;
Oyinlomo Dammole; Ademorin Kuye; APC Vice Chairman (Lagos West) Funso
Ologunde; party secretary Wale Ahmed; publicity secretary Joe Igbokwe;
his deputy Abiola Salami; Senators Musiliu Obanikoro; Ganiyu Solomon;
and Adeola Olamilekan; Southwest APC Women Leader Mrs. Kemi Nelson;
Lagos APC Women Leader Jumoke Okoya-Thomas; Mrs. Fausat Gbadebo;
Cornelius Ojelabi; Ayodele Adewale; Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye; Mrs.
Yetunde Arobieke; Sanwo-Olu’s campaign manager Tayo Ayinde; Mrs. Kafilat
Ogbara; Arewa leader Kabiru Ahmed; Chris Ekwilo and House of Assembly
members-Wasiu Eshilokun; Rotimi Abiru and Tunde Braimoh.

Welcoming
the chieftains and party followers, Balogun urged them to pass Tinubu’s
message to other members who are busy in their local governments with
door-to-door campaigns at the wards.

Tinubu, who told the
party congregation that he has not slept for three days, owing to his
involvement in preparations for the polls, urged members to gird their
loins.

He said: “Are you ready for the polls? Go out on Saturday.
Don’t’ be discouraged. Take your PVCs. Go and vote and we will win. Who
are we fighting? It is the PDP.”

Reflecting on the postponement
of the poll, he said the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) ship ran into turbulence, praying that the ship should land
safely and happily on Saturday.

Tinubu, who spoke in English and
Yoruba, said: “INEC will land safely and happily on this election and
APC will win. They destroyed INEC office and materials in Abia. They are
finished on poll day. We will bury PDP. They don’t want you to vote.
They don’t want you to be around. Their plot has failed.”

He
added: “We are not fighting INEC. There is no nation without obstacles.
No leadership without challenges. Leadership must address the
challenges. We are in a growing democracy. I was governor during the
bomb explosion at Ikeja in 2002. It was very daunting. But, we responded
and cared about our people. That is the concern of all of us and
President Muhammadu Buhari.

“WE are not fighting INEC. INEC is
not our opponent. We are going to compete and we will defeat them. They
do not have our strength in the Southwest, Northwest, Northeast, Middle
Belt. How will they win?”

Warning against hypocrisy and divisive
tendencies in the political family, the party leader said leaders were
aware of the allegations against a chieftain from Badagry, Mr. Bamgbose,
who has refused to work for the party after benefiting from the party’s
slot.

Tinubu, who advised members to mobilise vigorously to
demonstrate the strength of the APC in Lagos, said defectors to the
party should be carried along.

He said: “You should emulate me. I
have accommodated Obanikoro, Demola Seriki and Da Silver. This is a
good example of leadership. We are a big party. We cannot but offend
ourselves. As you beg God for forgiveness, you should learn to forgive
your fellow human beings.”

Turning to the women, Tinubu said: “Don’t rest in your local governments. Go to the markets and stalls. Mobilise them to vote.”

He
also said members who have problems and complaints should not hesitate
to inform their leaders at the ward and local government levels.

Stressing
the importance of grassroots mobilisation, Tinubu said: “Get the
attendance register at the ward. Call meetings. You know the number of
polling units in your areas. Work hard. You must win. Tomorrow, I will
hold meeting with the 57 council chairmen at Bourdillon.”

The former governor admonished youths to shun unruly behaviours on poll day to avoid unpleasant consequences.

He
said: “Let me warn our boys. You heard President Buhari’s warning on
thuggery, ballot snatching. You heard him. I don’t command an Army. The
Permanent Voter Card (PVC) is my Army. We must go out to vote for
president Buhari and our National Assembly candidates on February 23 and
our governorship and House of Assembly candidates on March 9. The
warning is: don’t fight.”

Tinubu also warned some restless youths
against the harassment of of esteemed party elders during meetings,
saying that anyone who is culpable is an agent of the PDP. He said APC
is interested in celebrating democracy and not violence.

Urging
Igbo in Lagos to vote for the APC, he said: “We appeal to our Igbo
brothers from the East. This is the state where you conduct your
business. Your children are in our schools. There is no discrimination
against them in WAEC, NECO and tertiary fees. This time, we are asking
you to help us. We will look at the votes from Ojo, Alaba, Surulere,
Amuwo Odofin, Ajeromi Ifelodun.”

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