By Adeyemi Adeleye/Florence Onuegbu
The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, says he does not see victory for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming presidential elections.
Fashola, the Director, Election Planning and Monitoring of APC Presidential Campaign Council, made the remark at the Formal Launching of Eko O Ni Baje 10,000 Foot Soldiers for Tinubu/Shettima and Sanwo-Olu/Hamzat on Thursday in Lagos.
He said that the main opposition party had been so much divided to record electoral victory either in the state or at the centre in the Feb. 25 and March 11 elections.
He said that if PDP failed to beat the APC in 2019 elections when it was united with the current presidential candidates of NNPP and Labour Party in the party, it would be impossible for the party to beat APC in forthcoming elections.
“When they (PDP) were together, they were not enough to challenge us. They are now broken into three, how can the sum total of what was not enough then be enough now that they have broken it into three parts.
“Politics is about numbers but it is also about mathematics. It is a game of addition and multiplication. It is not a game of division and subtraction.
“From 2019, this umbrella party that used to be one has now been divided into three. That party has divisions and subtractions, I don’t see a way to victory (for PDP).
“Tell them that the arithmetics does not add up. We must go out and use our strength now. We have the largest number of registered voters, it must count.
Fashola urged the the canvassers to move out and tell voters some of the reasons to allow APC to continue.
According to him, the PDP ruled for 16 years without commencing work on many of the roads connecting Lagos State with other states but the APC administration is working on all of them.
Listing such expressways to include Ikorodu-Sagamu, Lagos -Ibadan, Lagos-Badagry, Lagos-Abeokuta, Fashola urged the canvassers to explain to the people to be patient for APC to finish roads.
Fashola commended Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu for continuing projects he inherited and starting new ones to position the state for the next wave technical development to make Lagos the smartest city in the region.
Stressing the need for experience to lead a state like Lagos, Fashola said that some of those contesting the seat were not ready because they lacked experience.
Fashola, a former governor of Lagos State and the Chief Host of the event, urged the party agents to be conversant with the usage of BVAS and monitor its readings to prevent manipulation of figures.
He urged the party canvassers to educate educate voters on the right way to vote to avoid void votes on election days.
“It is not about whether we will beat them (PDP), it is about how convincingly we will beat them,” he said.
He urged the canvassers and party agents to keep their eyes open, saying, “our tool is our PVCS and our path to victory are our votes.”
According to him, Tinubu, Sanwo-Olu and other APC candidates are resting on the people as the wall, hence the people must not let them down.
In his remarks, Sanwo-Olu, who commended the party leaders for support, stressed the need for all to work together to deliver highest number of votes for Tinubu and other candidates in the state.
The governor said that Tinubu remained the most suitable for the country, having done a lot for the state, the country and democracy.
“When we work together, we can achieve a lot together. The bottom line is that we want to reach every nook and cranny of the state.
“Our target, the five million votes will come out, we will deliver it. It is the number that we want to display.
“Nobody has any credential that is close to Tinubu’s. Given his experience, Nigeria will be better off for it. This is what we deserve and what the county needs at this point in time.
“We are going to deliver the largest number for our Presidential Candidate. Go all out and do all you need to do to canvass,” the governor said.
On the tough economic situation, Sanwo-Olu said that he had given order for 50 per cent reduction in transport fares in government-controlled buses and provided food packages for people as reliefs.
Also, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, said that Tinubu and Sanwo-Olu did not have any comparison with other presidential and governorship candidates because the duo understood the terrain with excellent track records.
Hazmat urged the canvassers to move to “wake up those who are sleeping because this election is not about sentiment, it is about fact. The difference is clear. Open your eyes. We should not go back to PDP.”
Dr Muiz Banire, the Guest Lecturer and former. APC National Legal Adviser, who noted that elections had become sophisticated in Nigeria, said that APC canvassers must be knowledgeable, educated and respectable to convince voters.
According to him, with the use of Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS), party canvassers must avoid over-voting.
Speaking, Mr Kayode Eleshln, the Director General, Eko Oni Baje 10, 000 Foot Soldiers, said that Nigerians must exercise their voting right in the forthcoming elections in favour of APC candidates, hence the launching of the group..
Several APC leaders at the event took turns to address the crowd.
They include Mr Mudashiru Obasa, the Speaker Lagos State House of Assembly, Dr Olorunimbe Mamora, the Minister of Science and Technology, Princess Adejoke Oorelope, former Deputy Governor, Sen. Gbenga Ashafa, several party chieftains and executive council members. (NAN)
