A group loyal to President Bola Tinubu, The Mandate Group, in Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) has launched a 40 million membership drive to boost support for the President and the Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Speaking at rally in Lagos on Wednesday to celebrate June 12, the group said it hoped to realise the 40 million membership target in the 36 states in the next 12 months.
Addressing thousands of members that gathered at Ikeja rally, the leader of the group, Ayinde Abdulllahi Enilolobo, said the group is aware of challenges currently facing Nigerians but assured the people that it has received assurances from Tinubu that in the next few months, the economy would bounce back and the country would regain her strength and fortunes.
Enilolobo described the current situation as a process of ‘removing the landmines’ in order to clear the route to stability and prosperity of Nigeria.
He said: “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 40 million membership drive in the 36 states and Abuja. The membership mobilisation will move with the speed of light.
“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 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.”
Enilolobo said the National Mobilisation Strategy is to have 40 million members across the 36 states of the federation in the next 12 months.
He said 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,” he said.
Enilolobo said the Mandate Group is not targeting only members of the 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 also announced the launching of an endowment fund that would be used to empower members to enhance their economic wellbeing.
On his part, APC Chief, 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.”
