COMPLEMENTARY TASK OF LAI MOHAMMED,JOE IGBOKWE TOWARDS BUHARI AND AMBODES VICTORY.

I congratulate President-elect Muhammadu Buhari and Lagos State Governor-elect Akinwumi Ambode for their victory during the last governorship and presidential election polls, their victory is a victory for democracy. Lai Mohammed (APC National Publicity Secretary) and Joe Igbokwe (Lagos state APC Publicity secretary deserve commendations for their statesmanship, steadfastness, words of caution and constructive criticism against the ruling party which stimulated the dogged convictions developed by the masses to vote for a change in governance at the federal level and continuity at the state level during the tense moments of this electoral period. They have performed excellently in the arduous task of being the mouth piece of the APC at the National level and state level.
The PDP was not preparing to face the electorates than the frivolous and unfounded allegations and use of calumny in an effort to delude electorates even in the face of clear proof of culpability. The APC was fully ready for the elections. Bola Ahmed Tinubu and members were working hard day and night in all the nooks and crannies of the country leveraging on their existing grass roots appeal, wide-spread political structures, a track-record of performance in the south west and abiding spontaneous attraction and loyalty to the people , he threw his weight behind the candidacy of Akinwunmi Ambode whose ascension in the political environment was a concerted effort by the party leaders to keep the political dynasty twirled by Tinubu to Fashola. His Emergence as the front runner in the keen race to succeed Mr. Babatunde Fashola in the primaries was also as a result of the effort of the Team Ambode led by Joe Igbokwe and some other leaders of the party. Joe Igbokwe who is a prominent Igbo son serving as a public liason officer of a formerly “Yoruba indigenous Party” whose strong holds were formerly the south west after transformation from ACN. Engineer Joe Igbokwe, a radical newspaper publisher and politician from Nnewi in Anambra State , he is also the General Manager of the Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA).
He is a graduate of mechanical engineer who is not afraid of criticism because they sharpen his skills and make him move ahead as he claimed in one of his interview. He was a major force that drowned the opposition party in Lagos state though the PDP ship was already sinking as a result of the geometrical progression in the infrastructural development in lagos under the present government in lagos led by Mr. Babatunde Fashola. His job was very challenging and very tasking by maintaining the status quo and ensuring a victory for the party in the midst of travails that surrounded the last minute electioneering strategy of the Lagos PDP to brainwash the igbos in lagos whom they believed gave President Goodluck Jonathan the massive vote count he got during the presidential Election. He once said Lagos APC “IS NOT a tea party he reads up to 10 daily news­papers every day; go to the Internet, watch tel­evision and listen to the radio to keep abreast of national politics and events. That is what he does 24 hours daily and seven days in a week’’.
With his pen and paper he raised pandemonium among his contemporaries, PDP in particular and convinced people with facts and figures. He has been in involved in activism long ago. He was involved in the June 12 struggle. He wrote Igbo: 25 years after Biafra, “Heroes of De­mocracy” , he co-authored another book, The IBB option. He has written many articles in newspapers and magazines, as his own contributions to the national debate and proffering solutions to national issues.
Gani taofik , the lagos state publicity secretary who could not measure up to the vibrancy of the articulate Joe Igbokwe in all ramifications. Gani taofik who is a barrister of law could not match the analytical calculative expertise techniques applied by Joe Igbokwe who has been able to stand the test of time in the political scenery in lagos, an engineer whose tenets outweigh the voice of the barrister of Law. Lagos pdp had a sellable candidate but lacked branding. Though it was a good fight but was without the effort of the bigwigs of the party. Ambassador Musiliu Obanikoro has been a seasoned political juggernaut in the pdp but he never raised constructive issue against the ruling party neither was he a brilliant defender to fault full issues raised against his boss and the national government in especially areas of corruption and security which has been a canker-worm in the present society. The Pdp in Lagos still believed there are in this era of using federal might, they know just the buttons to push and have no problems pushing them. You’re not doing what they want? Don’t worry. You will be soon and you won’t even know how it happened. Or you will and you’ll feel like a little bit of your soul died on the inside. Before long you realize that your skills, abilities, and so on are really just there for their Manipulative antics. It might have worked in places like Rivers but never can such happened in lagos . Moreover Olisah Metuh who is expected to create a formidable defends against all criticism from the opposition fell short of public expectation. I never feel disappointed in all his remarks because he has been busy acting in a capacity of reconciliating aggrieved members of the pdp at the expense of the party’s electioneering campaign .The sinking of National PDP began from the Buruji kashamu saga where former president Olusegun Obasanjo highlighted reasons why President Goodluck Jonathan should not support the candidacy of Buruji Kashamu as Chairman, Mobilisation and Organisation committee of the PDP in South West in October 2014 I was glad that Bola Tinubu gave buruji kashamu the best reply to the praises he sang of him recently. In 2008, Olisa metuh contested and won election as the National Vice Chairman of the Party for Southeast zone. As the National Vice Chairman for Southeast, he has pioneered party members and elected officers in the zone to work in cohesion at all levels.
It is important to note that Mr. Olisa Metuh is the longest and the youngest serving elected member of National Executive Committee of the PDP. This is quite remarkable as well as exceptional in view of the fact that Southeast zone where he represents ranks highest in petition writings, court injunctions and actions, frivolous and false publications of various nature and resignations of national officers from the zone due to one allegation or another. Moreover he was the first youth leader from the south east zone of pdp but he was never a good match for the indefatigable pragmatic seasoned lawyer, Lai Mohammed who is the National publicity secretary of the APC. Fearless Lai Mohammed whose voice has always been a force to reckon with when it comes to national issues in almost all his statements he has always raise constructive allegations of plots of the pdp to ultimately compromise the outcome of the elections. He had made verifiable achievements and commitment to APC and in the atmosphere of calumny, public affront and Ridiculous advertorials sponsored by the pdp his voice had made President Elect Mohammed Buhari the candidate to beat. He engaged on issue-based campaigns he has demonstrated strength of character, sincerity of purpose in his handling of Party affairs. He was able to communicate the incorruptible manner of the president elect and achievements to the electorates and a greater majority of Nigerians are now able to distinguish between facts and mere propaganda, which was the hallmark of the sponsored AIT documentary. With his fervent criticism he broke the master plan of the PDP publicity crew to either gain or maintain power or influence. The likes of Doyin Okupe , Reno Omokri , Femi-Fani Kayode and Olisah Metuh could barely hold good virtues in the political scenery at the moment and years to come due to their failure as a publicity auxiliary or mercenary units. President Jonathan was not smart enough to authentically know, trust, value, and encourage the flourishing of the skills that each individual brings to his Campaign train.
Temitope Awoniyi