A new political pressure group, Itesiwaju Mainland, has emerged in the Mainland Local Government Area of Lagos State, aiming to mobilize voters for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
On Thursday, the group energized the council area with its inaugural meeting at Hubert Macaulay Primary School in Adekunle on Hubert Macaulay Road. Hundreds of residents, drawn from all eleven wards in the local government, attended the event.
Leaders of the group took turns to explain why they formed Itesiwaju Mainland: to strengthen efforts in delivering the dividends of democracy to the local government area. Interim Chairman Prince Aliyu Momoh stated that the group was created to mobilize residents in support of the APC, especially in the upcoming local government elections. He emphasized that community leaders organized themselves to engage in meaningful consultations and had reached out to party elders in the state to address issues of marginalization and grievances among the people.
“Our elders agreed with us,” Momoh said. “They gave us their support to proceed with the mobilization of people for active political participation.”
Momoh dismissed rumors suggesting a federal lawmaker in the local government sponsored the group. “Nobody is sponsoring us. Leaders of the group have been pooling personal resources to mobilize the people who have suffered neglect for a long time within the Lagos State political landscape,” he said. He further explained that the group is nurturing a new generation into politics, aiming to improve the welfare of residents. “We are confident that, with the support of our respected elders in the local government, we will attract democratic dividends to the area,” Momoh was quoted as saying by TheNewsZenith.
He assured attendees that Itesiwaju Mainland would work to end marginalization and ensure that the benefits of democracy reach the grassroots. Additionally, he highlighted the group’s commitment to promoting peaceful coexistence among various interest groups within the community. “We oppose politics of bitterness and thuggery. As members of APC, we stand for peaceful conduct,” he added.
Mr. Kola Atanda, who handled attendance accreditation at the meeting, reported that members from all 11 wards in the local government attended in large numbers, with about 850 residents registering to express their solidarity with the group’s objectives.
Itesiwaju leaders, including the Chairman Prince Aliyu Momoh, Prince Abiodun Jones Okanlomo, Oluwagbenga Ogunleye, and Segun Davies, addressed the gathering. They emphasized unity, peace, and decorum, urging members to avoid divisive or abrasive politics.
Other prominent members at the meeting included Mrs. Bose Benson, Alfa Mumuni Koro, Otunba Nurudeen Otunbade, Alhaja Aishat Jawando, and Mr. Kola Atanda, who serves as the General Secretary.
