Sanwo-olu hosts Abiru, Lagos senator-elect
…I’m ready to serve, says Abiru
Hours after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared winner in Saturday’s Senatorial bye- election held in Lagos- East district, Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu hosted the senator-elect, Tokunbo Abiru, at the State House, Marina, to celebrate the victory of their party- All Progressives Congress (APC) at the poll.
The State House erupted in jubilation, as state party chairman, Tunde Balogun, formally presented the senator-elect, and Femi Saheed, who won Kosofe constituency II byeelection, to Sanwo-olu.
Abiru polled 89,204 votes in all the 16 local councils in Lagos- East district to defeat his major challenger, Babatunde Gbadamosi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who got 11,257 votes.
Also, Saheed received 12,494 of the 15,124 total votes cast to win the Kosofe constituency II seat.
The candidates were accompanied on the meeting with the governor by chairman of Tokunbo Abiru Campaign Council, Ashipa Kaoli Olusanya, party leader, Bode Oyedele, women leader, Jumoke OkoyaThomas, and other party stalwarts from the district.
Sanwo- Olu described the APC’S triumph in the bye-elections as “two-fold success”, saying the results indicated the party remained the first choice for Lagosians. He said Lagos residents would always reckon with APC, given the party’s progressive credential and responsible leadership.
Sanwo- Olu said the outcome of the elections, should be seen as a result of the huge popularity that the APC enjoys in Lagos.
He said: “For us a party, we always see our success at the polls as acceptance of our progressive governance. With almost 90 percent margin in the senatorial bye-election, it goes to show that APC remains the party of first choice in Lagos State. I thank our leaders and party members for supporting Abiru on this journey and delivering the victory.
“The victory of our party in both elections is for the people. This is a big deal for all Lagosians because Abiru won’t be a senator for the APC members alone; he is going to do the representational duty for all his LagosEast constituents and by extension, all Lagosians. The same goes for Femi Saheed. This success goes to show there’s something our party is doing well and for which it is being rewarded by the people. We won’t take this for granted; we will buckle up and show more commitment to programmes that will make Lagos greater,” said Sanwo-olu.
Abiru, former managing director of Polaris Bank, described his victory as an attestation of APC’S acceptance at the grassroots despite the recent occurrence, appreciating Sanwo-olu for mentoring throughout the electioneering.
He said: “I have accepted this assignment with modest accomplishments both in the public and private sectors. The assurance I want to give the people is that, I will bring my experience to bear performing my roles and giving quality representation. I will always be faithful to the party and make myself accountable to the people,” he said.