Group wants Tinubu, Sanwo-Olu to accommodate Awori descendants, guard identity
The Awori Progressives’ Assembly, a pressure group fronting for the Awori descendants in Lagos State, has urged President-elect, Sen. Bola Tinubu and Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to accommodate Aworis and guard their identity in the state.
The Aworis are believed to be the first group of settlers who inhabited Lagos city and suburbs.
Alhaji Jelili Jimoh, the Pioneer Leader of the group, at a news conference on Monday in Lagos, said that the Aworis had continued to throw their weight behind the ruling APC in the state and demonstrated same during the last general elections.
Jimoh, who noted that the group was looking forward May 29 inauguration, said that the elections, no doubts, had reflected the wish of the generality of Nigerians.
He said: “We are proud that Lagos State is showing leadership to others in Nigeria through inclusive governance.
“To whom much is given much is expected. However, in accommodating all and sundry, our identity, status and indigeneship must be jealously guarded and must not be compromised in the process.
“Others do not joke with their identity either, ours should not be an exception.
“We thank Awori Obas, Baales, Chiefs, traditional institutions including the body of Olori Odo (Youth leaders) of Awori Townships, fathers, mothers, and all our brethren across the state for rising up to the challenge when we called them at that critical time to ensure our communities are delivered for APC.”
According to him, majority of the Awori descendants voted APC in the Feb. 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections and March 18 Governorship and House of Assembly elections.
Describing politicians protesting against the inauguration of the newly elected President as detractors and enemies of democracy, Jimoh appealed to them to rather seek redress in court and not resort to violence.
Calling for peaceful atmosphere across Awori land, he advised that aggrieved politicians and their followers to stay clear of anything that could jeopardise peace after the election.
According to him, Nigeria at this time needs a well experienced unifier and excellent administrator in Tinubu, whose election he described as a a divine intervention in the country.
Jimoh said: “With BAT (Bola Ahmed Tinubu) at helms of affairs every observant Nigerian should stand confident of enjoying a prosperous system managed by experts under ‘Jagaban’.
“Tinubu has the track record of identifying talents and deploying them to achieve an ever-growing system. Lagos State case is the undeniable testimony to this fact.
“BAT administrative wizardry made Lagos State able to survive the most vehement economic denial when Local Government funds were seized.
“We strongly believe he could do much more for Nigeria with: more abundant resources than those available to him in Lagos. He has the knowledge, intellectual capacity, experience and the gut to effect positive change in difficult situations.”
He said that the assembly, comprising the body of Awori persons in progressive politics, had a lot of confidence in the results of the Feb . 25 and March 18 elections as announced by INEC.
According to him, the introduction of the new technology, Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BIVAS) underpinned the credibility of the process, hence those crying foul should must desist.
“BVAS cut off fraudulent, multiple and ghost voters and votes. Against what used to be the case before now, important politicians lost their strongholds.
“Who are the people challenging the process? We are very happy that the All Progressives’ Congress -APC eventually won in Lagos State.
“It was not easy, we came out in full force to express our confidence in Tinubu and Sanwo-Olu through our votes,” he added.
Jimoh said that the group was solidly behind Sanwo-Olu to continue his giant strides in various sector.
“We identify with him (Sanwo-Olu) as we strongly believe that the indigenous people of the state across the five administrative divisions are well covered.
“With the divine combination of Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, a New Rising Lagos is guaranteed,” he said.
