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Omeiza Ajayi, Abuja

Election strategists within the ruling All Progressives Congress APC are working towards securing a 70 per cent win in the nation’s Federal Capital Territory FCT, Abuja for the presidential candidate of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Vanguard has learned.

Since 1999, ruling parties have often lost substantial parts of the territory to the opposition, with the APC losing in the last general election.

Consequently, ahead of the next general elections, some members of the party have launched a movement tagged Operation Deliver FCT for APC.

Speaking at the launch of the team and the inauguration of grassroots mobilizers across all the polling units, wards and Area Councils of the FCT, its Coordinator General, Dr. Ene Lilian Ogbole, said strategies have been put in place to massively deliver FCT votes for Tinubu.

Ogbole said President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government has legacy achievements despite economic challenges among which is the second Niger Bridge and several road projects across the country.

According to her, looking at Tinubu’s past records when he served as Lagos state governor for two-terms, he is the most qualified to be Nigeria’s next president.

When asked how she hopes to deliver FCT for Tinubu, she said: “Well, it is a herculean task, no doubt, but we have our modalities in place and we are working assiduously day and night to ensure our task is achieved.

“We are moving from place to place, mobilizing the people en masse, speaking to their consciences and letting them see reasons why they should vote Ahmed Bola Tinubu, because he is a man that can redesign, reposition and take Nigeria to greater heights.”

On whether she has assurance that APC will win FCT as against 2019, the coordinator said: “It is often very difficult for ruling parties to win the FCT. It is almost like a tradition, but given the achievements of the APC administration, one would have thought that the FCT should have been the first place to be won by the APC in the last election.

“We are giving 100% assurance. In fact, I want to let you know very categorically now that we are working for Asiwaju to get 70% and the rest will share 30% because our modalities are in place already. Besides, Asiwaju himself is an asset. He has been able to sell himself to the people. He has done a lot and impacted so many lives. I think It is going to be a different ball game altogether”.

Speaking on behalf of the traditional rulers of various ethnic groups in attendance, Chief Amos Garba of Mapa community in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) assured that he would work with residents to deliver votes for the Tinubu-Shettima ticket come 2023.

Chief Garba said: “I must thank the Coordinator, Operation deliver FCT for APC because she was the first to visit our village with the gospel of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. So, we have assured her that in 2023 election, we are for Tinubu and we will deliver him to victory.”

Meanwhile, Tinubu has called on residents of Abuja to vote for him in next year’s election, promising an all-inclusive government.

Tinubu spoke at the Eagle Square in Abuja during a mega campaign rally organized by the Minister of State in the FCT, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu.

Represented by the Secretary of the APC Presidential Campaign Council PCC, Chief James Faleke, Tinubu urged the residents to ensure the collection of their Permanent Voter Cards PVCs and effective participation in the election.

Addressing the large crowd of party supporters and enthusiasts, Faleke noted that he represented the Presidential Candidate because he (Tinubu) was involved in other engagements.

“I therefore call on all Abuja residents to stand with the APC during the 2023 polls. I urge you to also ensure that you collect your PVCs and keep them intact to vote for us”, said Faleke.

Earlier, Dr Aliyu specifically stated that Tinubu has proven to be a man with the capacity to govern a complex society, and has “demonstrated that, by the number of people he has reproduced through systematic mentorship.”

According to her, “FCT residents should give him and other candidates of the party the chance to make the country better.”

She said: “APC deserves another chance. We stand on continuity. I am standing before you to say that if APC is voted in, Nigeria will be greater, because we are building upon that which is better than what we met.

“We stand on what Buhari said that the unity of this country is not negotiable. APC as a party stands on that. So many projects have been completed, so many will be completed before the end of this administration and many others will be initiated.

“Tinubu has mentored many leaders. I have identified that one of the problem of leadership is mentorship. We want leaders who will like you to be like them”, she stated.

Highlights of the even were speeches by other FCT APC leaders and musical interludes by some Nigerian musicians.