From Fred Itua, Abuja
Members of Diaspora Support For Asiwaju (DSA North America) have revealed plans to host a celebratory dinner and award night in honour of the president-elect, Bola Tinubu.
According to the organisers, the dinner, which is scheduled to hold in Abuja next Tuesday, is expected to have in attendance members from the top echelons of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) and key figures from the opposition who are believed to have contributed to the APC’s success at the polls.
In a statement made available to newsmen by the group in Abuja, the convener, Folasade Olumo, who is also the Deputy National Women Leader of the United States chapter of the APC, stated that in addition to celebrating Tinubu’s hard-fought victory at the presidential polls, the event also aims to appreciate those identified by the diaspora community as having made valuable contributions to the Renewed Hope campaign.
She said: “For those of us in the diaspora, we were very involved in the campaign and the election, even though we don’t live in Nigeria permanently. However, there is no place like home, and we strongly believe in Asiwaju’s capacity to lead our country and deliver on his promises because of his antecedents.
“For this reason, we resolved to contribute our quota to the campaign and some of us also came home to participate actively in the electioneering process.
“Now that elections have been won, we believe that it is important to give honour to whom it is due, and that is why we are organising this event to properly acknowledge the efforts of those who stood by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and made significant contributions to his victory at the polls.”
Those who will receive awards include Governor Simon Lalong, who headed the Tinubu campaign and is also expected to chair the occasion; James Abiodun Faleke, the federal legislator and Tinubu protege who served as secretary of campaign council; the outgoing governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai; Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State and Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State who, despite being in the PDP, supported Tinubu’s emergence.
Others include former national chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomole; media veteran, Chief Dele Alake; APC National Women Leader and Deputy, Dr Betta Edu and Hajiya Zainab Ibrahim; Dr Asabe Vilita Bashir, who coordinated the women’s wing of the Tinubu/Shettima campaign; and the veteran fuji musician and long-time Tinubu associate, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal I.
A special royal award will also be presented to the Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, HRH Oba Olushola Alao Olugbon.
The Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, are to serve as the royal fathers of the day.