The members of the Island Club in Lagos have promised staunch support for the candidacy of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, having described him as the leading candidate in the race to the Lagos state government house. The promise was made today at an interactive session organized by the club to engage the candidate and have the rare vantage point to listen to his manifesto.

The gracious presence of His Royal Highness, the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Babatunde Osuolale Aremu Akiolu the First, provided added steam to the support amassed by the APC candidate.

In his welcome speech, the Chairman of the club, Prince Ademola Dada, said the APC gubernatorial candidate needs no elaborate introduction because his brilliant antecedents speak for him. “I have had the privilege to meet this man and I know him as a friendly and quite intelligent professional. Akinwunmi Ambode is a worthy candidate, whose astute administrator-ship and dedicated public servanthood speaks volume”, he said.

A former Chairman of the club, Chief Hakeem Gbolahan Awe, reiterated the club’s stance while introducing the Lagos governorship hopeful, saying that, “Ambode’s unequalled academic strength and largely experienced administrative career, puts him in the best position as the leading candidate in this race, and we have an the rare opportunity to support and elect a befitting servant-leader for this great state”.

Furthermore, a prominent member of the club and also a former colleague, spoke highly of Ambode’s public service experience, stating firmly how it gives him the considerable edge over other candidates, hence, their adoption of his candidacy.

“We should not give governance to someone with a learner’s permit, rather, we are blessed with the chance of having an Ambode, who has the needed experience in matters of governance. I tell you my fellow members, this is the right man for the job”, he stated.

Speaking through their Chairman, the members took a step further to put their money where their mouth is by pledging to organize a fundraiser to support Mr. Ambode and ensure victory for his candidature at the poll.

Ambode expressed his joy at having a platform as that of the Island club, to share his plans and programmes.
“The Island club remains the premier social club of Nigeria, that promotes great fellowship, interracial harmony and good governace. I’m happy to state that this is what my manifesto totally aligns with”.

Ambode spoke eloquently about the plans in his manifesto, stating that they are poised at achieving a Lagos that remains excellent, that is safer, cleaner, and prosperous by applying the tenets of equity, fairness and justice, all of which he said will be driven by a more robust economy.

After fielding questions from the members as regards their concerns on transport, health delivery, and security, Ambode promised to implement policies in each of these sectors that will upscale them for better efficiency.

In conclusion, he gave an assurance to the members by stating that, “the prosperity of Lagos has been well grounded in the past 16 years, the only option we have right now is to go vertical, and this is what we can together achieve by voting for the APC next Saturday and also on the 28th of February, 2014”.

Other dignitaries present at the session include, a former Commisioner of Education in Lagos state, Alhaji Lanre Rasaq, a trustee of the Club, Alhaji Y.A Quadri, a former Minister of Defense, Chief Demola Seriki, Mr. Oladele Tinubu, all executive members of the club, past and present, among others