Leaders of the Orile-Agege descendants and indigenous Awori community in Lagos have declared strong support for candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Agege Constituencies 01 and 02, describing their emergence as a long-awaited step toward fairness and political inclusion. The community leaders expressed their consistent loyalty to progressive politics for over 60 years.
Speaking at a press conference attended by community leaders, traditional stakeholders, youth and women groups, the coalition endorsed Hon. Sakiru Sule Akindele, popularly known as “Enimakure,” as the APC candidate for Agege State Constituency 02, alongside Hon. Gbenga Michael Abiola for Constituency 01. The event, held yesterday at Agege, also served as a platform for the group to reflect on what it described as decades of political loyalty and sacrifice by indigenous Awori people, dating back to the progressive political movements of the First Republic.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Chairman of Orile-Agege descendants, Chief Wasiu Giwa, said the emergence of Akindele symbolises justice, fairness and long-overdue recognition of the contributions of indigenous communities to the growth of progressive politics in Lagos State. “Today is not just about the emergence of a candidate; it is about recognising a people who have remained consistently loyal to progressive politics for over 60 years,” Giwa said.
He traced the political history of Orile-Agege through the eras of the Action Group (AG), Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Alliance for Democracy (AD), Action Congress (AC), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), and now the APC, noting that the community had played a critical role in sustaining progressive ideals. Giwa recalled that the area served as a major grassroots base during the early political career of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly during his successful bid for the Lagos West Senatorial seat under the SDP.
According to him, despite what he described as years of political neglect and underrepresentation, the indigenous people of Orile-Agege have remained steadfast in their support for the APC, consistently mobilising voters and delivering electoral victories for the party. He noted that even during the last local government elections, where no indigene from Orile-Agege, Ogba or Agege secured chairmanship, vice-chairmanship or councillorship positions, the community did not revolt but instead worked for the success of the party. “We did not protest. We did not abandon the party. We accepted the outcome in good faith and continued to mobilise our people for the APC,” he said.
Also speaking, a prominent community figure, Chief Saheed Obadina, commended the leadership of the APC for what he described as listening to the yearnings of the grassroots. He pledged total support for the party’s candidates, expressing confidence that their emergence would energise party faithful and restore confidence among indigenous voters. “This development has rekindled hope among our people. We are fully mobilised and committed to delivering massive votes for the APC in the 2027 general elections,” Obadina said.
The group maintained that Akindele’s candidacy, in particular, represents the aspirations of indigenous people who have long sought equitable representation within their ancestral communities. They urged the leadership of the APC to uphold the decision, warning that any reversal could undermine trust and weaken grassroots support built over decades. Reaffirming their commitment, the group pledged to deliver what it described as “unprecedented electoral support” for APC candidates at all levels, including the presidency, governorship, National Assembly and state assembly seats.
They also called on party members to remain united and focused, stressing that cohesion within the party would be crucial to securing victory in the 2027 elections. They also called for sustained inclusiveness in political appointments and candidate selection, noting that such measures would strengthen democratic participation and foster long-term stability within the party. They expressed their continued support and grassroots mobilisation for the All Progressives Congress and support for Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.
