Labour Party (LP) Chairman in Apapa Local Government of Lagos State, Prince Femi Badia, on Tuesday led some members of the party across Lagos Central to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Badia declared for the ruling party at the Lagos Central Senatorial District APC Mega Rally, held at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena (Formerly Onikan Stadium),Lagos
He said that Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu s performance and the need to support him and President Bola Tinubu in 2027 to record more successes motivated the decision.
Badia added he and supporters defected to join forces APC to ensure the ruling party wins Saturday’s council polls in the senatorial district.
Badia said: “We are here today and come with our people to join the progressives and to work for President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
“We are also here to work with APC to deliver the forthcoming council polls to all its local government chairmen and councillors.
“We are grateful for the privilege to be on this stage and talk to the people. I can assure you that come Saturday, we will deliver our polling units.
“We are starting ‘Operation Go to Your Polling Units and Deliver for APC’ from now. I can also assure you that in the 2027 general elections, our President will emerge victorious” he said.
Badia, who thanked party leaders for accepting the group, said that the defectors were from four local governments in the district.
The Lagos State APC Chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, who received the defectors, commended the Chairman of Local Government Campaign Council, Alhaji Babatunde Balogun, for facilitating the defection of the LP members.
Ojelabi, who presented the party flags to the defectors, commended them for joining the progressives, saying their decision would be rewarded.
Urging the defectors to work hard within the party, Ojelabi, however, said that the rewards would be based on hardwork and the value added by the former LP members.
“On behalf of the leadership of our party, I want to welcome you. I want to thank you for taking the right decision at the appropriate time.
“I want to thank you for identifying with us, and thank you for.appreciating what our government is doing in Lagos State and the impact of our programmes.
“Thank you for seeing the reality of the progressives. I welcome you on board and I am going to assure you that you will be properly integrating into the party.
“I promise you that our candidates will not disappoint you. They are going there to complement Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu. The opposition is in disarray,” Ojelabi said.
The chairman, who expressed confidence in APC winning all the 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), described the mega campaign as the wrap up ahead of Saturday’s polls.
He urged party members and leaders to reach out to non-Yoruba speaking residents in the state to cast their votes for the party, in appreciation of the good governance delivered by APC in the state.
In his address, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, represented by Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, told the party faithful to arm themselves with their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) against Saturday.
Urging party leaders and members to mobilise voters at the Lagos Central Senatorial District, Sanwo-Olu tasked stakeholders to make the President proud with total victory.
“We must not put our President to shame on Saturday. Tinubu is promised made and promise kept.
“We have done a lot for the state. So, we have a party all of us can be proud of and sell to the electorate,” he said.
Also speaking, the Deputy Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mrs Mojisola Meranda, urged the electorate to cast their vote for the candidates of the APC.
Admonishing women to go out en masse and vote for the party , Mrs Jumoke Okoya-Thomas, APC Women Leader in the state, said that party had given women opportunities to thrive.
“It is important you come and vote with your Permanent Voter Card and do not leave your husband at home and let the singles and youths mobilise their friends.
“We have been voting, this should be a different one, it will set a standard for 2027. No opposition party can compete and contest with APC again in Lagos,” Okoya-Thomas said.
In his remarks, Sen. Wasiu Sanni-Eshilokun (APC- Lagos Central), who noted that Lagos had been excelling in development, said all votes should be cast for APC’s candidates, to showcase the party’s strength and dominance.
Earlier, Balogun, the Chairman of the Campaign Council, who described the turnout as spectacular and mammoth, congratulated the party chairmanship and councillorship candidates in advance.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the rally was witnessed by hundreds of APC leaders, party faithful, representatives of various socio-cultural groups, women and youth groups. (NAN)