Women in their large numbers, on Monday, shut down vehicular movement in certain areas of Lagos as they staged a solidarity walk in support of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima.
The development came just as the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, his Deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, wife of the governor, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, wife of the state deputy governor, Mrs. Oluremi Hamzat and others led women in their large numbers for the solidarity walk.
Others at the women rally include the Lagos APC chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, former Deputy Governor, Oluranti Adebule, Lagos APC Women Leader, Jumoke Okoya-Thomas and other party chieftains.
The women, who spotted different T-Shirts with Tinubu’s insignia, chanted various solidarity songs in support of Tinubu/Shettima Presidency in 2023.
The activities also led to traffic gridlock as motorists were forced to slow down to pass through narrow lanes assigned for movement.
The women also marched along Lagos Island, CMS, other areas and terminated at Mobolaji Johnson Arena, formerly Onikan Stadium, Lagos while singing and hailing Tinubu and Shettima.
In a post shared on Twitter by a party faithful, women were seen in large numbers walking through major streets and highways on Lagos Island, saying Tinubu remains the best out of the presidential candidates in the 2023 general elections.
At about 1 pm, the rally was gradually spreading to other parts of Lagos like Onigbongbo, Maryland and other areas.
The solidarity walk, according to its organizer, Lagos APC women leader, Hon Jumoke Okoya-Thomas, was held to galvanize support for Tinubu, the second term bid of Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy, Hamzat and other candidates of the party ahead of the 2023 general elections.
In his address at the event, Governor Sanwo-Olu said women have shown that they own the votes.
Speaking on the uniqueness of the solidarity walk, Sanwo-Olu said, “Lagos APC is a party of choice. Take the message home, APC in Lagos State is a party of choice. This is just a sample.
You have shown that women have the votes. You have shown that you run the show. Our presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and his vice, Senator Kashim Shettima, are very appreciative of what you have done today.
“I want you all to spread the message that APC is the party of choice. I, therefore, congratulate the Women Leader, Hon Jumoke Okoya-Thomas, for putting this up. It is indeed a show of strength by our women and I am certain, we shall surely emerge victorious.
“Thank you all for coming out in large numbers to show support for our presidential candidate. This has shown that women are at the forefront of the campaign.
This is something you have done on your own and this has shown that women are the voters. We don’t just talk; we have shown that our women are the real voters.”
In his own comment, Deputy Governor Hamzat advised the women to ensure they collect their voter cards to enable them exercise their franchise.
Expressing gratitude to the women for massively supporting the APC candidates, Hamzat said, “This is how God created the world. Women are in large numbers and that is how God wants it to be.
We are all happy with the massive turnout. This is how we want it to be. We don’t lie. We don’t give false statistics. It is so easy to lie. Lagos is not trial and error.
“They lie that Tinubu is dead but Tinubu is not dead. He is hale and hearty; I spoke with him this morning. He is steady, stable, and ready.
And we are moving straight to Abuja because it’s the turn of Asiwaju. It is his turn because he is a pathfinder.
He knows the path and he has proven that with his achievements in Lagos state when he was governor. We want a better Nigeria that is why it is his turn. He is competent.
“Let us get our PVC intact and for those that are yet to collect their PVC, go and collect it at the INEC office to be able to vote on Election Day.”
