Chieftains of the All Progressives Congress living in the United States of America will next week honour certain individuals they believed contributed to the electoral victory of the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Operating under the platform, Diaspora Support For Asiwaju (DSA North America), the elaborate event will witness key chieftains of the ruling party and the main opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and traditional rulers being conferred with awards.
A statement made available to newsmen at the weekend in Abuja by the National Convener of the DSA, who is also the Deputy National Women Leader of the United States chapter of the APC, Folasade Olumo, she stated that in addition to celebrating Tinubu’s hard-fought victory at the presidential polls, the event also aims to appreciate those identified by the diaspora community as having made valuable contributions to the Renewed Hope campaign.
Those who will receive awards include Simon Lalong, Rotimi Akeredolu, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, Yahaya Bello and Nyesom Wike, governors of Plateau, Ondo, Kaduna, Kogi and Rivers states, respectively.
Also on the honours list are former national chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomole; media veteran, Chief Dele Alake and Dr Asabe Vilita Bashir, who coordinated the women’s wing of the Tinubu/Shettima campaign; and the veteran fuji musician and long-time Tinubu associate, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal I.
A special royal award will also be presented to the Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, HRH Oba Olushola Alao Olugbon.
The Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, are to serve as the royal fathers of the day.
The Diaspora Support For Asiwaju National Convener said it was important that those who identified with Tinubu’s aspiration be accorded honour for their steadfastness.
She said: “For those of us in the diaspora, we were very involved in the campaign and the election, even though we don’t live in Nigeria permanently. However, there is no place like home, and we strongly believe in Asiwaju’s capacity to lead our country and deliver on his promises because of his antecedents.
“For this reason, we resolved to contribute our quota to the campaign and some of us also came home to participate actively in the electioneering process.
“Now that elections have been won, we believe that it is important to give honour to whom it is due, and that is why we are organizing this event to properly acknowledge the efforts of those who stood by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and made significant contributions to his victory at the polls.”
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