A group, South West Agenda for Asiwaju (SWAGA), on Sunday, lauded President Bola Tinubu for appointing Prince Dayo Adeyeye as the Chairman, Nigerian Port Authority (NPA).
In a release by a chieftain of the group, Mr Yomi Abegunde, the group asserted that Adeyeye was qualified to hold the position considering his pedigree and loyalty to the country.
He said the appointment of Prince Dayo Adeyeye as the Chairman, the Nigeria Port Authority stands out as a weighty, anticipated, and highly celebrated appointment in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
According to him, the appointment is a reflection of the capacity and credibility of Adeyeye and a recognition of his unflinching support and commitment.
Abegunde recounted the nobel contribution of Adeyeye during the 2020 ENDSAR crisis in Nigeria.
“In the wake of the 2020 ENDSARS crisis, a social movement that was supposed to remain a movement against police brutality mainly from the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) unit of the Nigeria Police Force, but Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu became the target.
“A movement against Police brutality shifted its focus to become a movement of brutality against Asiwaju personality and his presidential ambitions leaving out the then President and political office holders,” he said.
According to him, that period saw deliberate attempts to discredit Tinubu and derail his aspirations.
He said the persecution was more intentional, not only from outside forces but also from within the Political Party he sacrificially built.
“During this period, some of his lieutenants became a tool of persecution and betrayal became a norm among them.
“Governors and other political leaders were jittery of associating with the dream of Asiwaju for the fear of shared persecutions. It was this period, Senator Dayo Adeyeye began rallying support for the achievement of Asiwaju’s lifelong dream.
“Undeterred by the assaults on Tinubu’s political career during the ENDSARS protests, Adeyeye demonstrated remarkable courage and conviction,” Abegunde said.
He noted that Adeyeye then established the South West Agenda for Asiwaju (SWAGA) as a vehicle to drive the mobilisation for Asiwaju across Nigeria, starting with the Southwest Nigeria.
Abegunde said inspite of facing persecution from party leaders and the Government in Ekiti State during the struggle Adeyeye persevered, and built a strong support base from scratch for Asiwaju.
“SWAGA rapidly gained momentum and rallied support from traditional rulers, market women, youths, students and other electorates.
“The success recorded in the Southwest led to its expansion into the North Central region, significantly strengthening Tinubu’s support base.
“What began as a mere show of support from Adeyeye and his SWAGA team became an image making, and an ideological movement that strengthened Tinubu’s dream to become Nigeria’s president.
“Despite all these, Adeyeye’s name was omitted from the ministerial list for appointment. This omission led to widespread speculation and disappointment among political observers, members of SWAGA’23 and his supporters.
“Upon all these, Adeyeye continued to demonstrate his loyalty and commitment to the success of Tinubu’s administration. He appeared on several media channels to promote and educate Nigerians on the policies and programs of the current administration.
“Thirteen Months, thirteen days after President Tinubu’s inauguration, Adeyeye was finally appointed and the celebration that followed his appointment as the Chairman, Nigeria Port Authority signalled the significance of such appointments and high level of expectations from political leaders and Nigerians at large.
“It was as if Asiwaju just made his inaugural appointment. Coupled with his professional and political experiences, Adeyeye’s appointment is not only well-deserved but also represents a major milestone in Tinubu’s administration.
“It is an acknowledgement of the unwavering support and dedication of Adeyeye and the SWAGA members across the country, whose efforts have been instrumental in shaping the polity for the benefit of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Abegunde said.