Lagos APC holds maiden Christmas Carol

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Sunday organised Christmas Carol, saying that the 2023 electoral victory of the party was not a product of efforts.

The News Agency of the Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Carol of Five Lessons which polled huge crowd of APC members and followers, held at the party’s Secretariat on Acme Road in Ikeja.

With the theme: “Endless Thanksgiving”, the event had in attendance many gospel artistes and bands, who thrilled the participants in special ministrations, Christmas and carol songs.

Speaking, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr Tayo Ayinde, commended the state’s party executive council for putting up such a laudable Carol to show gratitude to God.

“ I want to commend Mr Chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi and your team for this great event that you have put together.

“We cannot forget soon; this legacy that you are setting for yourself is going to outlive you even after your administration .

“We cannot forget that under your watch and your able administration, you have produced the first president of Nigeria from Lagos State,” Sanwo-Olu said.

The governor said that the party had every reason to be thankful to God for all He had done and helped the party to achieve, especially the electoral victory in 2023 at both state and federal levels.

He said that the theme of the Carol was an acknowledgement of the past victory God had given to the party, “it would not have been by human power or wisdom by us but only by the grace of God.

“The journey of the APC has been one marked by resilience, dedication and unwavering commitment to ideas that bring us together. Let us remember the value that defines us,” he said

Sanwo-Olu urged the party members to always remember President Bola Tinubu in their prayers for God’s Grace and inspirations to set the country on sustainable path of economic progress and development.

The governor, who noted that though the party had begun to record successes, it needed more prayers also for continuous guidance to achieve all plans and programmes.

According to him, his administration is determined to ensure more ground-breaking development in the state.

He urged the people of the state to approach the coming year with renewed hope and optimism and determination.

In his welcome address, Ojelabi, the Lagos State APC Chairman said that the party deemed it to come before the Lord to thank Him for the grace of being alive as year 2023 winds down and the victory granted APC in the year.

Ojelabi said: “We owe it a duty to give the Lord praise and adoration for giving us this expensive gift of life free of charge.

“We in the APC , particularly those of us in the Lagos chapter, appreciate the goodness and mercy of the Lord in our lives.

“We see the great things He keeps doing for us especially in the outgoing year and do not take any of them for granted. We do not see the victory that the Lord gave us in the last elections as a product of our efforts.

“We do not see the grace the Lord granted us to be the party that will restore the lost glory of our country as our making and neither do we believe that we have any magic wand to have been the preferred party of Lagos residents since 1999.

“It is only God.”

He urged everyone to be hopeful and feel secure in God to wade through the 2024.

He assured the party members that they would not labour in vain.

NAN reports that the First Lesson, The Fall of Man on the Garden of Eden, was taken by the APC National Youth Leader, Mr Dayo Israel, who read from the biblical reference of Genesis 3:1-12.

The Second Lesson, The Prophecy not His Birth,  was taken by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs ‘Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, who read from the biblical reference of Isaiah 7:10-14.

The Third Lesson, The Birth of Jesus Christ, was taken by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, who read from the biblical reference of Matthew 1:18-25.

The Four Lesson, Glory in the Highest, was taken by the Wife of the Lagos State Governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, who read from the biblical reference of Luke 2:8-20.

The Fifth Lesson, The Word was Made Flesh, was taken Former Deputy Gov.Prince Abiodun Ogunleye, who read from the biblical reference of John 1:1-14.

The event was graced by a lot of party hierarchy, members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, State Executive Council of APC, traditional, religious and community leaders among others. (NAN)

By Adeyemi Adeleye