The Mandate Group, yesterday, urged Nigerians to defend democracy for the good and greater future of Africa, while launching a 40 million membership drive to boost support for President Bola Tinubu and his vice, Kashim Shettima.
This was disclosed at a rally held at the Police College ground in Ikeja, Lagos, where the group said it hoped to realise a 40 million membership target in the 36 states in the next 12 months.
Tagged: “One year of President Bola Tinubu and the future of democracy in Nigeria,” the event had in attendance members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) across the Southwest.
The group said it was aware of the challenges currently facing Nigerians but added that it has 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.
The group described the current situation as a process of ‘removing the landmines’ in order to clear the route to stability and prosperity of Nigeria.
Speaking, the leader of the group, Ayinde Enilolobo hinted the launch of an endowment fund to empower members and enhance their economic well being, adding that both party members and non party members would benefit.
He said: “ This is a historic gathering. We are proud of the thousands of people that are here to mark the 31 years after the annulment of the June 12 election. On this occasion, we hereby launch the 40m membership drive in the 36 states and Abuja. The membership mobilisation will move with the speed of light.
“We are not looking at registered APC members alone, we target students, workers, artisans, fishermen and women from across the country.
“The Mandate Group has put in place structures 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 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.
“The National Mobilisation Strategy is to have 40 million members across the 36 states of the Federation in the next 12 months. Already contacts have been established with the 36 states and very soon, the leadership would begin the launching of the state chapters.
“We will mobilise students, workers, artisans, teachers, fishermen and men in the creeks, nomads in the Savanna, farmers in the Middle Belt, workers in the industrial plains. The mission is to defend the mandate of President Tinubu and defend democracy.”
Also speaking, APC chieftain Prince Wale Arogundade said “As we celebrate the June 12 Anniversary, we also remember the historic contributions of President Bola 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.”
