As part of the preparation for the 2027 general elections, a political group in Lagos, 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 which was created in the early 1990s was an independent campaign group while Tinubu was the governor of Lagos state.
The group played a significant role in ensuring sustainable leadership in Lagos and supported Tinubu to have an inroad into other South-west states and his subsequent emergence as the president.
A rally held at the Police College ground in Ikeja, Lagos, witnessed a large turnout, of members. The group’s objective is to mobilise 40 million membership which will cut across the 36 states in the next 12 months.
The leaders Abdulai Enilobo and Prince Wale Arogundade, described the current situation of things in the country as a process of ‘removing the landmines’ in order to clear the route for stability and prosperity of Nigeria.
Enilolobo said: “This is a historic gathering. We are proud of thousands of people that have gathered here today to mark 31 years after the annulment of June 12 election.
“On this occasion, we hereby launch the 40 million membership drive that will be replicated in the 36 states and Abuja.”
According to him the membership mobilisation will move with the speed of light.
He stated that: “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 it in Lagos as a pro-democracy movement. From the month of July, 2024, the Mandate Forum New Agenda would be the launching of state chapters in each of the 36 states of the Federation. At present the Mandate Group has 580,000 members in Lagos.”He said.
Enilolobo 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 each of 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 Savannah, farmers in the Middle Belt, and 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.”
He explained that 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.
Arogundade on his part said that President Tinubu is the first leader that was not a product of the clique that has ruled Nigeria since 1960, adding that 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.”
According to him membership of the group spread across political parties, adding that its membership is not restricted to All Progressives Congress (APC) members alone, also that those that do not have political affiliation are welcome.
