Press Release
A former political assistant to the late businessman cum politician, Moshood Abiola, and veteran journalist, Olu Akerele, has described the victory of All Progressives Congress’ candidates across the nation as the actualization of the dreams of the late sage, Obafemi Awolowo, and that of Mr. Abiola.
Mr. Akerele, in a congratulatory message to the leadership of the APC in a statement in Abuja, described the party’s victory as “the triumph of progressives over reactionary forces” while giving kudos to a former Lagos Governor, Bola Tinubu, for leading a worthy battle on the side of history.
He noted that if the Peoples Democratic Party had won in Lagos State, for instance, “the state would have been dragged down an inglorious path of infamy as the PDP lacked the depth to sustain the level of development the state had already attained under Mr. Tinubu and incumbent governor, Babatunde Fashola”.
He said if Jimi Agbaje of the PDP had defeated Akinwunmi Ambode of the APC, it would have amounted to a dent on Mr. Tinubu’s progressive credentials in view of the desperate last moves by President Goodluck Jonathan to rubbish Mr. Tinubu in Lagos for leading the crusade to sack him from Aso Rock.
He praised “Lagosians for shunning the lorry loads of Naira notes the presidency delivered to Lagos a couple of days before the gubernatorial elections, noting that their choice was the triumph of progress over evil”.
Mr. Akerele argued that it was Mr. Awolowo’s dream to forge a united progressive front for Nigeria, but this was truncated by reactionarists who had no plan for the growth of the country.
He said Mr. Abiola realised the Awolowo dream by winning the June 12, 1993 elections squarely across ethnic and religious divides all over the nation, “but he was prevented from assuming the mantle of leadership by those who never wished Nigeria well”.
Mr. Akerele said the push led by Mr. Tinubu had galvanized the progressives across the country into a united front, which led to the emergence of Muhammadu Buhari as president-elect of Nigeria.
He praised Mr. Tinubu’s tenacity of purpose in the struggle, maintaining that Mr. Ambode’s victory was a further vote of confidence in both Mr. Fashola and his predecessor.
He pointed out that Mr. Ambode had a gruelling task of ensuring that the standards set by Messrs Tinubu and Fashola were maintained in the years ahead, adding that the governor-elect will have no excuses for failing in view of the fact that he has the advantage of working with a progressive at the centre unlike his predecessors.
The media consultant advised Lagosians to team up with Mr. Ambode to ensure he had a successful tenure.
