Exclusive: Tinubu Gathers Traditional Rulers, Leaders And Others In Last Minutes Move To Beat The Odds
The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, has deployed his biggest political machinery yet in last minute efforts to beat the odds in his bid to win the presidential election in Lagos State.
THE WHISTLER gathered that the former Lagos State Governor has sent special messages backed with personal phone calls to traditional rulers, leaders in various fields and captains of industry in his last ditch effort to ensure he does not lose the state on Saturday (tomorrow).
A reliable source revealed in confidence to our Correspondent that two different opinion polls and feelers across the state have shown the APC candidate lagging behind the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi.
It was further gathered that more worrisome to the APC is the nature of the margin which cut into Tinubu’s strongholds in Shomolu, Agege, Okokomaiko, Maryland, Ikeja and few other places previously tipped to go his way.
A source in the Tinubu camp expressed reservation in the way the campaign was staged saying details were not paid to provide better responses to accusations and issues spotlighted against the strongman of Lagos politics.
A member of the party in the state while retaining some optimism told our Correspondent that “we hope the news on the street would not translate into actual votes against us,” adding that, “yes, the odds were stacked against us but we will see.”
Although he said whatever polls were undertaken were for inhouse consumption and not public, he could not categorically state which polls gave defeats to the APC in the state.
“We had a few polls, some in our favour, some definitely not but which polls went against us, I can’t say,” he said.
But to ensure victory is secured at least in Lagos, traditional rulers have been tasked in last minute efforts to ensure “necessary things are deployed to sway voters to Asiwaju’s side.”
The APC candidate has also deployed “foot soldiers” who would knock on the doors of leaders throughout the night with specific promises.”
Already, THE WHISTLER sighted some vans alleged to be conveying gifts heading off from the Government House, Alausa, not far away from the polling unit 047, ward 3, Alausa, Ikeja Local Government Area where the APC candidate would be casting his vote on Saturday.
While their destinations were not immediately known, there were reports that such gifts would “continue to move all through the night as part of the move against defeat.”
A visit to the polling unit and the Government House on Friday evening showed that while only posters and banners of the candidate and his supporters vying for elective offices could be seen, the Government House was alive with activities.
“We are putting finishing touches to ensure Asiwaju’s victory,” said Wasiu, a die-hard Tinubu supporter.
Brimming with confidence, he said, “No worry, we are winning.”
But Alake disagreed when contacted by THE WHISTLER and sent one inhouse report sanctioned by the candidate camp to our Correspondent, which projected four million votes for Tinubu in Lagos towards his election as president.
The inhouse poll the Tinubu camp conducted was analysed by one Dr Abubakar Alkali.
The report said, “Lagos, the state with the highest number of registered voters, is crucial in this election and Tinubu will smile away with at least 4 million votes from this state.
“Popular votes: Tinubu will win 75% of the votes in this zone.
“Tinubu is projected to win the 2023 Presidential election courtesy of the huge votes he will score from the South – West particularly in Lagos state where he is projected to score more than 4 million votes,” the report sent by Alake concluded.
