A new political pressure group, ‘Itesiwaju Mainland,’ has sprung up in the Mainland Local Government Area of Lagos State, poised to mobilise voters for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
On Thursday, the group set the council area agog when its leadership organised an inaugural meeting at the Hubert Macaulay Primary School in the Adekunle area on Hubert Macaulay Road.
Hundreds of residents, drawn from all the eleven wards in the local government attended the inaugural meeting.
Leaders of the group spoke in turn on why they mobilise residents to form the Itesiwaju Mainland in order to enhance the delivery of dividends of democracy in the local government area.
The interim Chairman of the group Prince Aliyu Momoh said the purpose of forming the group was to mobilise residents of the ruling All Progressives Congress, especially in the coming local government elections.
He also said leaders of thought in the local government mobilise themselves to engage in meaningful consultations.
They visited party elders in the state to complain about marginalisation and the need to address grievances among people.
“Our elders agreed with us. They gave us their support to go ahead with the mobilisation of people for active political participation.
Another purpose of forming the political group, according to him, is to cater for the welfare of the people by ensuring the delivery of meaningful dividends of democracy.
Momoh dispelled the rumour going around that a certain federal lawmaker in the local government said the elders sponsored the formation of the group.
“Nobody is sponsoring us. Leaders of the group have been pulling personal resources together to mobilise the people.
“They have suffered neglect for a long time in the scheme of things in Lagos State.
“These people are a new set of people that we are just grooming into politics and to better their welfare.
“We are sure that with the support of our notable elders in the local government, we will be able to attract democratic dividends to the area,’’ TheNewsZenith quotes Momoh as saying.
He assured that the formation of the group, would end the marginalisation and ensure the delivery of dividends of democracy at the grassroots.
According to him, the group also emphasizes the need to promote peaceful co-existence among all interest groups in the area.
“We are against politics of bitterness and thuggery in the area. We are members of APC and we are for peaceful conduct.’’
Mr Kola Atanda, who conducted attendance accreditation at the meeting, told TheNewsZenith that members from all the 11 wards in the local government turned up en-mass for the first meeting.
Atanda said about 850 residents registered and expressed solidarity for the group’s course of action.
Itesiwaju leaders took turns to address the gathering, emphasising decorum, unity, peace and avoiding politics of bitterness or abusiveness.
Party leaders at the meeting included the Chairman, Prince Aliyu Momoh, Prince Abiodun Jones Okanlomo, Oluwagbenga Ogunleye and Segun Davies.
Others are Mrs Bose Benson, Alfa Mumuni Koro, Otunba Nurudeen Otunbade, Alhaja Aishat Jawando and Mr Kola Atanda who is the General Secretary.
