2023 Lagos defeat wake-up call – Obanikoro

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) says it has set a target of nearly three million votes for President Bola Tinubu and the party’s 2027 governorship candidate, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, vowing that it would not allow a repeat of its defeat in the state during the 2023 presidential election.

Director-General of the PBAT-KOH Campaign Council, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, disclosed this on Sunday at a press conference in Ikeja, Lagos, where he also announced plans for the unveiling of Hamzat’s governorship manifesto ahead of the 2027 election.

Obanikoro said the party had learnt important lessons from the 2023 election, when the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, defeated Tinubu in Lagos, securing 582,454 votes against the APC candidate’s 572,606 votes.

Describing the outcome as a wake-up call, the former minister said the APC had since taken steps to strengthen its membership base and improve its mobilisation ahead of the next general election.

“You know what it means to wake up a hungry tiger? It’s bad news. That’s exactly what the opposition have done. They have woken up a hungry tiger, and it is going to roar.”

He said the APC had registered about one million members in Lagos, adding that the party expected a substantial proportion of them to turn out and vote during the election.

Explaining how the party arrived at its projected votes, Obanikoro said: “So, in a worst-case scenario, let’s say 70 or 80 per cent of our members come out, which they will do. That is already 800,000 votes.

“Let’s assume they will bring a minimum of one voter. That is 1.6 million votes. No matter how much some of these opposition members hate us, there are APC lovers in this state of ours who, come rain or shine, will come out and vote for us.

“Modestly, we are looking at almost three million votes.”

Obanikoro said the campaign council would intensify grassroots mobilisation across the state to achieve the target.

The campaign council also announced that the APC would unveil Hamzat’s manifesto on Friday, October 30.

Obanikoro explained that the document would focus on sustaining development while addressing challenges facing residents across the state.

“Our campaign is anchored on two principles: continued shared progress and inclusivity,” he said.

He added that the campaign believed Lagos residents should have a voice in shaping the state’s future, irrespective of their backgrounds.

“Continuity is not about doing things the same way simply because they have been done before. It is about protecting what works, correcting what needs improvement and building on existing progress,” he said.

“Lagos cannot afford to lose valuable experience or abandon the foundations on which its considerable development has been built. We must move forward with clear plans and practical solutions.”