The National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure, on Monday, paid tribute to the late Pa Ayo Adebanjo, the leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere.
Abure credited Adebanjo for playing a significant role in the Labour Party’s success in Lagos during the 2023 presidential election, where LP candidate Peter Obi triumphed in a remarkable upset.
In a statement released by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, Abure expressed that Adebanjo’s unwavering support and strategic influence were instrumental in Obi’s victory in Lagos, a state traditionally considered a stronghold of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In the February 27, 2023 election, Obi won nine local government areas in Lagos, including Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Amuwo-Odofin, and Eti-Osa, among others, significantly challenging President Bola Tinubu’s dominance in his home state. Abure, accompanied by LP executives on Monday, visited Adebanjo’s residence to pay respects over the weekend.
According to Abure, “Adebanjo’s troubleshooting efforts not only engendered peace in the Labour Party but also propelled the party into achieving massive successes in the last general elections.
“Recall that the Labour Party played a major role in the 2023 general elections. I can remember whenever a crisis came up, he (Adebanjo) would summon me to Lagos. We would discuss and reach amicable resolutions in those crises.
“Our strong performance in the last general elections can be credited to his several interventions. He navigated several of such cases, particularly in Lagos, and today, that state is one of the strongest bases of the party. I learnt a lot from Pa Adebanjo personally, that culture of resistance, defending what is right, defending democracy and the rule of law, I learnt it from him.
“I am happy that the struggle to enthrone democracy in Nigeria was achieved in his lifetime. Many of his contemporaries were not that lucky. He saw an unbroken democracy for close to 25 years, and he participated in it. We were able to identify and put together all our candidates from the presidential candidate down to the least position and the ruling oligarchy didn’t believe what they saw in the 2023 general elections.
“For the first time, we mobilised the youths of this country. For the first time, the youth of the country saw hope and they were living it. They envisioned themselves in it and we were able to achieve that change. Pa Adebanjo, as old as he was, led the struggle.”
via: Information Nigeria
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