Fun-fare as Arewa community, road transport workers embark on solidarity rallies in Lagos

• We are not for violence, commercial motorcyclists tell Fashola

IN  a rare show of solidarity, the Hausa community in Lagos on Sunday converged on the island to identify with the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidates. And with brooms, well-decorated horses, masquerades, flags and posters of APC candidates, they thronged to the Onikan stadium ground, defiling the scorching sun.

   With sonorous traditional tunes playing from decks of loud speakers at the background, the Abokis (as they are popularly called), danced in wild excitement, as they swiped every vehicle around the Onikan area with brooms, shouting “Hay Fee Cee!” for APC.

   Among them were members of Ram Sellers Association, pepper and yam sellers in Mile 12, Okada riders, shoemakers among others, representing the Hausa-Fulani states in the northern part of the country.

   On ground to receive them were the state governor, Babatunde Fashola; gubernatorial candidate of the APC in Lagos, Akinwunmi Ambode; APC chieftain, James Odunmbaku; Iyaloja General, Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, among others.

   Addressing the enchanted crowd, Fashola said it was a rally not least expected of the Hausas that have made Lagos their home and have benefited from the open-arm policy of the government as much as its development works. 

   According to Fashola, “those who leave in Mile 12 have seen good roads in Agiliti, you have seen good roads in Agege and also in Mile 2.” He asked: “Who will complete the Marina-Okoko Light Rail project?”, to which the crowd gave a thunderous “Hay Fee Cee, Ambode!”

   Fashola told the people that he felt disappointed, as anyone else was, hearing that the election dates had been postponed, but should in no way call for violent reaction.

   He said: “As at yesterday (Saturday), we were all preparing for election this weekend, but they are doing kurukere kurukere, saying they cannot provide security. But let me tell you, we are for no-violence and no-fighting. We expect that the law enforcement will do their work and protect us. We are all law-abiding people.

   “In the meantime, the peaceful campaign and house-to-house campaign will continue. The change momentum has started, and whether next week or March 28, they will be defeated. They have said that they cannot provide security for Jega and that is the reason they should not remain in power.

   “They want to provoke you to violence, but don’t fight, even though you have to defend yourself. We have every right to every part of this country. We have been conducting elections, and have never had these kind of corrupt and lawless people in power. But we will continue with the peace process. They have conceded own-goal and we will win when the election is held,” he assured.

   In a related development, members of the state branch of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) were also at the Lagos House in Alausa on solidarity march in support of APC candidates.

   Chairman of the RTEAN and leader of the group, made up of commercial bus and taxi drivers, bus conductors, keke and okada riders, Muhammed Musa, said contrary to rumour making the rounds, they were all in support of Fashola’s administration and ready to vote Ambode to continue the “good works.”

   Musa said they have no issues with the road traffic laws among other road policies, and would ensure that no one foment trouble in Lagos during the election.

   He said: “We have heard rumours that some people want to use okada-riders to create trouble during election. Our governor, I can assure you that there will be nothing like that. Chairman of the okada-riders and keke-riders are all here with us. There is nothing like that. We are all for APC and we will vote ‘change’ all the way,” he said.

   Apparently grateful for their loyalty, Fashola urged them to go for their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) and resist temptations to exchange PVC for cash.

  Fashola said that such money that is now being offered to illegally buy PVC could have better been used in repairing the federal roads and not turning them into death traps.

  Citing the cosmopolitan nature of Lagos and harmony among different ethnic groups, he said: “Those trying to separate us will fail. We did not ask them to remind us of our differences. We know that some are short and some are tall. We know that some are dark and some are light. Our skin colour is different and we speak different languages”.