The APC Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said that he would robustly engage the services of the Nigerians in the Diaspora in his agenda to rapidly develop Nigeria and resolve the mirage of problems facing the country. Asiwaju Tinubu was speaking at the 3rd National Convention of the All Progressives Congress, USA Chapter held at the weekend in Newark, New Jersey.
Asiwaju Tinubu, who was represented at the event by Mr. Dele Alake, the Adviser on Media, Communication & Public Affairs of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, said that he will tap into the expertise of the APC Diaspora members and the Nigerians in the Diaspora for the accelerated development of Nigeria. Tinubu said that as a former Diaspora himself, he knows and fully understands the abundance of talents and expertise of the Nigerians in the Diaspora, and that he is uniquely positioned, more than any other candidate, to deploy and apply them to the nation building.
Mr Alake informed the convention of the high premium Asiwaju places on APC-USA and that his principal personally instructed that senior members of his Media team must show up for the convention. Mr. Alake then introduced his team members of Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Director of Media and Publicity, Mr Lanre Issa Onilu, Deputy Director of Strategic Communications and Otunba Biodun Ajiboye to the convention. Mr. Alake thanked APC-USA for the support for Asiwaju and for making Asiwaju Tinubu the focus and the theme of the Convention.
Also addressing the Convention, Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council and the Chairwoman of the Diaspora Women Mobilization emphasized in depth the need for women involvement in the campaign and in politics. She called for equal opportunity for women and advised women to participate in the political process from bottom up. She advised Nigerians in the Diaspora not to lose hope in the fight for Diaspora voting.
Prince Ade Omole, the Director, the Diaspora Directorate of the APC Presidential Campaign Council informed the audience that Tinubu/Shettima ticket is all out for a better Nigeria and for the good of Nigerians both at home and in the Diaspora. He emphasized the direction of the Tinubu/Shettima campaign and made references to the 2023 Renewed Hope (Manifesto) which he described as an Action Plan of the programs the Tinubu/Shettima administration will implement and deliver to the Nigerian people when elected as President and Vice President of Nigeria. Prince Omole assured the APC Diaspora members and the Nigerians in the Diaspora that the Asiwaju Tinubu’s administration will have a robust Diaspora inputs and engagements. He also commended APC-USA for making Asiwaju Tinubu the focus of the convention and promised to carry on the Diaspora campaign from USA to other foreign countries.
Speaking on the theme of the Convention: Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu: the President NIgeria needs at this time, the Guest Speaker, Professor Olarewaju Fagbohun, SAN, extolled the uncommon leadership qualities and vision of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Professor Fagbohun, who is also a former Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University (LASU), concluded that Asiwaju Tinubu is the President NIgeria needs at this time to tackle and resolve the mirage of problems confronting NIgeria from poverty, to insecurity and corruption. He advised his audience and Nigerians to read his book on Asiwaju which he believes captured the man Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Other speakers at the convention included Senator Lawal Shuaibu, the former Deputy National Chairman North of APC, Mr. Tunde Doherty, the APC UK Chairman, Mr. Dayo Israel, the APC National Youth Leader who also represented the National Chairman Senator Abdullahi Adamu and Mr. Kayode Opeifa, a former commissioner in Lagos State. They all spoke about the man Asiwaju and how Asiwaju will transform and restructure the country and make it work for all Nigerians.
The Elective Convention produced new national officers of the party including Professor Adesegun Labinjo who was re-elected as the National Chairman of APC-USA. Prof Labinjo reiterated the commitment of APC USA to work tirelessly for the election of Tinubu/Shettima presidential ticket in the February 2023 presidential election. He said that APC-USA was the first Chapter of APC to inaugurate a presidential campaign committee for the purpose of ensuring victory for the party’s presidential ticket. He said the APC USA has since started to engage and incentivize the Nigerians in the Diaspora to travel home and vote Tinubu, and also sell the APC presidential ticket to their relatives and family members living in Nigeria. Professor Labinjo said that APC-USA will soon take its campaign to Nigeria to drum up support for the APC flag bearers at all levels and to donate campaign materials to the APC Presidential Campaign Council. Prof Labinjo assured the Convention that the APC-USA will deploy its technological resources to closely monitor the 2023 elections to ensure that they are free and fair, and report any malpractices before, during and after the elections, and expose and hold accountable any person or group of persons that engage in unwholesome activities.
Other national officers elected at the Convention and immediately sworn in by Judge Dele Alade are: Chief Emeka Molokwu, Deputy National Chairman South, Mr. Abdullahi Gambo, Deputy National Chairman North, Mr. Ademola Tijani, National Secretary, Dr. Ismaila Maigyara National Publicity Secretary, Ayo Olashege, CPA, National Treasurer, Dr. Umo Ekanem National Financial Secretary, Ken Nwele, Esq. National Legal Adviser, Mr. Folly Coker, National Organizing Secretary, Mrs Elizabeth Olagunju, National Women Leader, Mr. Oyakilome Bello, National Youth Leader, Mrs Emem Asikpo, Deputy National Secretary, Ms. Ololade Salvador, Deputy National Organizing Secretary, Mrs. Khairat Animashaun-Ajiboye
Deputy National Publicity Secretary and Mr. AbdulJabbar Surajo Guga, Deputy National Youth Leader.
Prominent attendees of the Convention included Mr. Tony Isama, Mr. Tayo Alawiye, Mr. Nojeeb Agunbiade, Prince Henry Adesanya, Mr. Kunle Masha, Mr. Adeleke Lamoriyu, Dr. Biodun Dada, Mr. Bisoye Oladejo, Alhaja Adenike Oyejide, Alhaji Shehu Suleiman, Mrs. Dupe Ayangbesan, Ms. Saratu Garba and many others.
Signed:
Professor Adesegun Labinjo
National Chairman, APC-USA
Dr Ismaila Maigyara
National Publicity Secretary, APC-USA
Chief Emeka Molokwu
Deputy National Chairman South
Mr. Abdullahi Gambo
Deputy National Chairman North
Hon Khairat Animashaun-Ajiboye
Deputy, National Publicity Secretary
Hon Dele Alade
Chairman BOT, APC-USA
