Group appeals to technocrats to lead Nigeria’s politics
Some participants at a two hour interactive session organised by the Tinubu/Shettima and Sanwo-Olu/Hamzat Independent Campaign Council (ICC), Professional Women Directorate, Thursday in Lagos.
By Yemi Adeleye/Grace Alegba
The Directorate of Professional Women, Independent Campaign Council (ICC) of the APC Presidential Candidate Committee, Lagos State, on Thursday said technocrats were indispensable and should ensure credible elections.
Mr Tayo Ayinde, Director General, Tinubu/Shettima and Sanwo-Olu/Hamzat Independent Campaign Council (ICC), said this in Ikeja at a two-hour interactive session with 50 professional bodies.
The programme was organised by the TinubuShettima and Sanwo-Olu/Hamzat Independent Campaign Council (ICC), Professional Women Directorate.
Ayinde said before the first and second Republics, Nigeria’s founding fathers and nationalists like Late Herbert Macaulay, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Sir Tafawa Balewa , Sir Anthony Enahoro were technocrats.
He said the vacuum left by the experts gave room for charlatans in politics and appealed to technocrats to take back their place through active participation and leading campaign against voter apathy.
Ayinde, who is the Chief of Staff to Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was represented at the meeting by Mr Tayo Orekoya, Director Lagos West 1, ICC.
He said the theme of the event, “Involvement of Professionals in Election and Electioneering Process” was apt.
Ayinde said that professionals, by their training, skills, exposure and expertise, were “positioned to play indispensable roles in the promotion of democratic ethos and furtherance of the democratic process”.
He said the Lagos State Government recognised their importance and had always engaged them positively.
Ayinde cited APC Presidential Candidate, Sen. Bola Tinubu as an example of first class technocrat and political master strategist who had never lost an election.
“He populated his cabinet as Governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007 with professionals otherwise known as technocrats,” he said.
He commended female professionals for creditable performance, adding that, over 40 per cent of the ICC Directorate was headed by Women Professionals as Directors.
Ayinde listed achieving female technocrats in APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) leading national campaigns, including Dr Betty Edu, National Women Leader, Mrs Alike Dabiri-Erewa and Sen. Oluremi Tinubu.
He urged technocrats to massively vote and seek votes for Sen. Bola Tinubu as President and Sanwo-Olu as governor of Lagos State.
Earlier, while making her opening speech, Director, TinubuShettima/Sanwo-OluHamzat, ICC, Dr Atinuke Owolabi, said professionals should stop being passive and sensitise more people towards making right choices in the forthcoming elections.
Owolabi, an award winning engineer, thanked ICC elders for the opportunity to showcase 50 professional bodies in Lagos who now have a platform beyond elections to interface between government and the grassroots.
She said the directorate’s goal was to ensure all eligible voters participate and are educated on basic voting processes, how to locate polling units and other important information on accurate voting procedures.
She also urged Nigerians to vote APC at all levels, particularly its Presidential Candidate, Sen. Bola Tinubu and Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State for renewed hope and a Greater Lagos that is rising.
“Our target in Lagos State is to get five million votes. This we can achieve, this we will achieve.
“It only takes us working together,” she said. (NAN)
Edited by Oluwole Sogunle
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