Get Guardian on GoogleThe PBAT Door-to-Door Movement has inaugurated the Oniba Ekun of Iba Kingdom, Oba Dr. Suleiman Adeshina Raji Ashade I, as its Royal Ambassador for the Lagos West Senatorial District ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The installation took place during a courtesy visit by the movement’s executives and grassroots coordinators to the monarch’s palace in Iba, Ojo Local Government Area.
The delegation stated that the visit forms part of broader consultations with traditional institutions aimed at consolidating support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) across the state.
Speaking at the monarch’s palace in Iba Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Ojo Local Government, Representative South West, Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, ( NEITI), State Secretary of the movement, Abduljelil Taiwo Olasupo, stated that the movement’s strategy is designed to move beyond conventional mega-rallies to verifiable, household-level voter engagement ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to Olasupo, recognizing the Oniba as the Ambassador and Royal Father of the movement in the Lagos West Senatorial District is a tribute to the monarch’s consistent support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the state.
He noted that the initiative differs from conventional political rallies by focusing on direct, street-by-street voter engagement and verification of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
He emphasised that internal unity and coordination between state executives and local coordinators are central to achieving the group’s targets in constituencies previously won by the opposition.
Olasupo noted that Lagos West, comprising 10 local government areas remains a critical electoral zone where the movement intends to improve upon the party’s 2023 election performance.
“We are not here just for show; we are being strategic,” Olasupo said, adding that the group is engaging traditional rulers, community development associations and local leaders before embarking on intensive house-to-house campaigns.
He stated that the movement is working to mobilise votes for President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, the Lagos State governorship ticket of Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat and Princess Damilola Sonayon James, as well as APC National and State Assembly candidates.
The Lagos State Coordinator of the movement, Ambassador Amosu Kazeem Oluwatomi, explained that the recognition was informed by Oba Ashade’s longstanding support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling party.
In his response, Oba Ashade welcomed the delegation and accepted the ambassadorial role, remarking in Yoruba, “Nkan ti mo mọ̀ jẹ ni ẹ gbé wá yìí” (You have brought what I love to eat). While pledging his moral and logistical backing for the grassroots campaign, the monarch declined to disclose specific mobilisation strategies, citing security considerations.
However, he charged members of the movement to treat their assignments with seriousness and accountability rather than viewing their roles as mere titles.
Earlier, the Iba Coordinator of the movement and former Lagos State Commissioner, Toyin Suarau, alongside the Lagos West Senatorial Coordinator, Comrade Odunuga Yaya, commended the monarch for his continuous support for community development and expressed confidence that his endorsement would bolster grassroots coordination across the district.
