As Nigerians trooped out in their numbers across the country in their numbers on Wednesday to mark the 31st Anniversary of the annulment of June 12, 1993 election, the Mandate Group (MG), pro- President Bola Tinubu, has launched a 40-million membership drive aimed at boosting support for him and the Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Leader of the group, Hon. Ayinde Abdulllahi Enilolobo, made this known at a huge rally held at the Police College ground, Ikeja, Lagos and attended also by newly recruited members of the group came from across the 36 states to mark the occasion, saying that it hoped to realise the 40million membership target across states of the federation in the next 12 months, with state chapters set be launched very soon.
Enilolobo acknowledged the challenges currently facing Nigerians, assuring that the group had received assurances from President Tinubu that in the next few months, the economy would bounce back and the country would regain her strength and fortunes.
“This is a historic gathering. We are proud of thousands of people that have gathered here today to mark the 31 years after the annulment of June 12 election. On this occasion, we hereby launch the 40million membership drive in the 36 states and Abuja. The membership mobilisation will move with the speed of light,’ Hon Ayinde Abdulllahi Enilolobo, the leader of the group told thousands of people that gathered at Ikeja for the rally.
“We announce here to the world that the Mandate Group has put in place the structure in all the 36 states of the Federation. We started in Lagos as a pro-democracy movement. From the month of July, 2024, the Mandate Forum new Agenda is to begin the launching of state chapters in the 36 states of the Federation. At present the Mandate Group has 580,000 members in Lagos,” he stated.
He said that the group would mobilise students, workers, artisans, teachers, fishermen and men in the creeks, nomads in the Savannah, farmers in the Middle Belt, workers in the industrial plains, pointing out that the mission was to defend the mandate of President Tinubu and Vice President, Alhaji Shettima and to defend democracy.
Enilolobo, while noting that the Mandate Group had assumed the status of a national movement for the defence of democracy and for the promotion of unity, justice and liberty in Nigeria, observed that President Tinubu was the first leader that was not a product of the clique that had ruled Nigeria since 1960 when the country gained her independence.
“He is a product of radical and progressive struggle. It is the first time Nigeria is being led by a product of pro-democracy movement in Nigeria. We have the historic responsibility to mobilise support for him all over the country,” he said.
Speaking further, Enilolobo, an APC chieftain, said the Mandate Group was not targeting only members of the ruling party but non-party members, including students, workers, artisans, fishermen and women from across the country, even as he also announced the launching of an endowment fund that would be used to empower members to enhance their economic wellbeing.
On Tinubu’s achievements, Enilolobo, who acknowledged the contributions of president to the June 12 struggle by risking his life, among others, said the students’ loan remained a milestone which he noted had seen more than 60,000 applications from poor and indigent students from across the country being addressed, adding that the the construction of the Lagos-Calabar Highway would no doubt open up business potentials in Nigeria.
“No fewer than 50,000 Nigerians are expected to be direct and indirect beneficiaries of the project. The highway is the first phase while the second phase is the Calabar-Enugu highway and the Lagos Sokoto highway.
“Establishing probity in the Central Bank. For the first time, the CBN is being sanitised and made to be accountable to Nigerians. In the past few years, we have seen the politicisation of monetary policies in Nigeria. We have seen the CBN assuming the status of commercial banks while usurping the traditional roles of conventional banks.
“There has been a remarkable stability in oil production, peace and sustainable development in the Niger-Delta.This year alone, over N5billion worth of crude oil have been recovered from oil thieves while no fewer than 89 illegal refinery sites have been discovered. Suspects have been arrested.
“Very soon the Port Harcourt and Warri Refineries will be fully operational. These are landmarks that stand out President Tinubu as the best President Nigeria ever had since 1999 judging from the first one year anniversary of the regime,” he said.
Another APC chieftain, Prince Wale Arogundade, expressed delight at the occasion, describing June 12 as a unique day in the history of Nigeria and also an occasion “to remember the historic contributions of the current President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
“We recall the exceptional sacrifices made by Tinubu to the bitter struggle for democracy in the tough campaign to install democracy in the dark ages of Nigerian history,” Arogundade said.
