The Chairman of Lagos State Parks and Garages Management Committee, Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly called MC Oluomo, led different groups at a rally on Sunday in support of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima.
The rally was also organised in support of the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat for their re-election next year.
Various Tinubu support groups in Lagos have described the mammoth crowd that turned out at the rally as a sign of the party candidates’ popularity and dared other parties to do the same.
The solidarity walk was attended by MC Oluomo himself along with a large number of supporters and Nollywood actors as thousands of participants converged at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere and walked to Bolade-Oshodi in support of the APC candidates.
They defied the early morning rain and shut down the route of the rally to traffic.
Security operatives, including the operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, and the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps, were also present at the rally to protect the residents.
The five-million march themed, ‘Mother of all Rallies,’ was the second pro-Tinubu rally held by the Lagos APC.
The first rally was held on Monday, October 3, by women who embarked on a solidarity walk to show their support for the APC presidential candidate.
Addressing the supporters, MC Oluomo said the walk became imperative to demonstrate the massive support for Tinubu’s presidential ambition.
Akinsanya said the former Lagos state governor has the character, capacity and competence to provide leadership that everyone would be proud of in the country.
One of the leaders of the APC support group in the rally, Mr Waheed Seriki, said, “Asiwaju Tinubu is prepared to change the narrative of the challenges facing the nation.
“Some areas that will enjoy priority of the incoming Tinubu’s administration include insecurity, power generation and employment creation.”
In his reaction, the Lagos APC spokesperson, Mr Seye Oladejo, told The PUNCH on Sunday that the large crowd of participants at the rally indicated the popularity of the APC candidates.
“This is one of our preparations in the countdown to the February election. We can see the acceptability and popularity of our various candidates, such that we could have millions of Lagosians marching for APC candidates at various levels, on a very rainy day. That is not a coincidence; it is the plan of God.
“It shows that the APC is the people’s choice, not only in Lagos State but also in Nigeria. So, we need to commend those who took part in the rally, and we want to tell them to get ready with their Permanent Voter Cards when the election comes. We dare any other party to attempt that, rather than the destruction we are seeing all over the place,” he said.
The founder of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu/Sanwo-Olu Project, Mr Emmanuel Amuwo, said during a telephone interview on Sunday that “the response of the rally is no doubt mind-blowing and a strong signal that Asiwaju is more than a candidate but also a solution and an answer to the call of Nigerians. This is just a way of testing the microphone because Tinubu’s camp is more than ready to knock out any candidate.
“Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is no doubt a unifier, and we are more than ready to mobilise and enlighten Nigerians on why Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the best for Nigeria in this sensitive period.”
On his part, the National Coordinator, Nigeria Intellectual for Tinubu, Lagos State chapter, Temitope Kolawole, in a statement made available to The PUNCH on Sunday, described the rally as a demonstration of loyalty to the former Lagos State governor.
He said, “What we see today is simply an act of loyalty for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which is very hard to find in any politician in Nigeria that can gather such influence. Tinubu is a selfless leader who is majorly committed to any assignment, and a vote for Asiwaju will be a step towards taking Nigerians to the Promised Land.” – Punch.
