The Mandate Group has launched a 40 million membership drive aimed at boosting support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Vice President Kashim Shettima.
The group was created in the early 1990s as an independent campaign group while Tinubu was the governor of Lagos.
At a huge rally held at the Police College, Ikeja, leaders of the group said they hoped to realise the 40 million membership target in the 36 states of Nigeria over the next 12 months.
‘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 40m membership drive in the 36 states and Abuja. The membership mobilisation will move with the speed of light,’ 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’s 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. ”
He said the National Mobilisation Strategy is to have 40 million members across the 36 states of the Federation in the next 12 months adding that already contacts have been established with the 36 states and very soon, the leadership would begin the launching of the state chapters.
‘The Mandate Group will mobilise students, workers, artisans, teachers, fishermen and men in the creeks, nomads in the Savanah, farmers in the Middle Belt, workers in the industrial plains. The mission is to defend the mandate of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima and to defend democracy. The Mandate Group has thus assumed the status of a national movement for the defence of democracy and for the promotion of unity, justice and liberty in Nigeria.
‘President Tinubu is the first leader that was not a product of the clique that has ruled Nigeria since 1960. 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.’
Enilolobo said the Mandate Group is not targeting only members of All Progressives Congress, (APC) but non-party members.
‘We are not looking at registered APC members alone, we target students, workers, artisans, fishermen and women from across the country,” he said, even he announced the launch of an endowment fund that would be used to empower members to enhance their economic wellbeing.
The crowd caused traffic slowdown for most part of the morning hours as thousands of people dressed in white with yellow cap and headgear stormed the venue for the event. Leaders of All Progressives Congress,(APC) from across the country attended the event.
APC chieftain, Prince Wale Arogundade said: ‘I am delighted to speak to you on this great day marking the One Year Anniversary of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu which coincides with the 31st Anniversary of the June 12 election annulment.
‘As we celebrate the June 12 Anniversary, we also 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’.
Speaking on June 12, Enilolobo said: ‘Let me say that of all the activists that fought the June 12 election, President Tinubu stood out as a colossus. He risked his life, he sold his properties, he was hunted by the most vicious dictator in Nigerian history. A price was placed on his head. At the fullness of time, he won the battle alongside his comrades for the greatness of Nigeria, for the freedom of you and me, for the liberty of all, poor and rich, armed and defenceless people alike.’
Listing the achievements of Tinubu, the leader of the Mandate Group said Nigeria still faces very difficult challenges but that the intervention of the president in certain areas in the past one year cannot be denied.
The group called on Nigerians to stand up and ensure the defence of democracy for prosperity of Nigeria and for a greater future for the continent of Africa.
