Lagos State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) has urged all members of the party to give meaning to the party’s campaign efforts by voting for the candidates of the party in the October 31 Lagos East Senatorial district and House of Assembly by-election.
Vice-chairman of the senatorial district, Hon Kaoli Olusanya gave the charge at a meeting with party elders, leaders and members, traditional rulers, student leaders, market men and women in Kosofe local government area of the state on Friday.
While lamenting the dwindling total number of votes cast by members in Kosofe Local Government in past elections Kaoli said, “Kosofe Local Government has a huge number of registered voters after Alimosho Local Government but it is unfortunate that the number of votes recorded in the district in the past elections is dwindling.
In 2011, out of 300, 000 vote cast in Kosofe Local Government, APC recorded 113, 727 but in 2015 and 2019, the number of votes recorded by our candidates went down drastically as a result of infighting within the party. In 2015, we had 53, 000 votes while in 2019, we recorded 44, 000 votes. This is not encouraging.
ALSO READ: How COVID-19 has affected us ― Transcorp MD
The leadership of the party have since resolved the cause of the drop in the number of votes as we are one in Kosofe Local Government. Our target votes for this by-election out of the 443,000 Is 130, 000 which is 35 per cent of the total vote cast.
To give meaning to our campaign efforts, however, we need to collect our voters’ card to vote in the October 31 by-election. We have to show that we have the number and relevance. We must demonstrate that we can mobilise and that we have the voting power.
Our power lies in our voter’s card, so, we have to use it to vote our candidates come October 31.
“Let our voting reflect our strength for us to make our leaders happy.”
Also speaking at the gathering, APC candidate for the Lagos East Senatorial by-election, Tokunbo Abiru pledged to build on the good works of his predecessors and give quality representation to the people of the district and the entire Lagos State.
He said, “I am appealing to all members to work together as one to improve on the number of the vote cast in previous elections in the district.
We have the number and all we need to continue quality representation is 50 per cent vote out of the total number of the vote cast for us to emerge victoriously.
I have been involved in poverty alleviation during the COVID-19 pandemic and I am promising to continue with this. I have a special programme designed to alleviate poverty and much more.
To make this quality representation a reality, I am appealing to you all to vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the forthcoming by-election.”