From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Renowned compere and Managing Director of Doxas Digital Nigeria, Adedayo Benjamin Laniyi, has declared that she is in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) senatorial race to unite residents of Abuja to make the nation’s capital true centre of unity for all the diverse ethnic groups.
She boasted that the 2023 general election would record the highest turnout of women jostling for public offices on the platform of the APC to wrest the tickets for various positions from the menfolk.
Speaking tp newsmen after picking the expression of interest and nomination forms to contest the FCT senatorial contest currently occupied by Senate minority whip, Senator Philip Aduda, she said she has all it takes to collect the ticket fro Senator Philip Aduda.
She further noted that the unity of all Nigerians living in the FCT is non-negotiable, pledging to give the FCT the best representation at the upper chamber of the National Assembly.
“I bought my form for the total price of N3 million, which is the rate of reference for any woman running for Senate in the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the platform of the APC. I thank the leadership of the party for intervening on behalf of women aspirants by granting the form to us at N3 million, instead of the N20 million the party pegged it.
“I appreciate what has already been paid for by way of the leadership of the party and through Her Excellency, the First Lady, Hajiya Aisha Buhari, who has been a strong advocate of female representation in politics for all women in Nigeria,” she said.
While recounting the experience she garnered as a business mogul and technocrat, Laniyi noted that she was in a good position to represent the FCT very well at the National Assembly.
“I have raised and built skills, institutions, teams by power of leadership and distinction, and not just by leading but by working with a team to effectively deliver on expectations and results.
“The fact of my presence on this platform and running for the Senate is homage to every woman who has ever run and encouragement for any woman who has never run and for every woman who will ever like me take the gauntlet and come into the political arena.
“As a senator I shall pursue the course of unity among all residents of the FCT. The unity of all Nigerians living in the FCT is non-negotiable unity. We shall make the FCT the true center of unity for all the diverse ethnic groups living here. That translates to taking the diversity of indigenous and non-indigenous statuses and making these into a national reference of unity, faith peace and progress from everyone here in the FCT.
“From the original inhabitants to the first settler coming in and the last arriving right now today all have a heritage in this nation at the center of unity. This will take a holistic approach and the audacity to engage the conversations, the legalistic representations, but most importantly, the spirit which only a woman with the winning model can do. I bring unity, peace and harmony for all in the Federal Capital Territory.
“I Adedayo Benjamin Laniyi, I’m in it to win it. She who dares wins. You don’t just need a people’s candidate; yes I am that people’s candidate. You don’t just need a candidate; yes, I am. You don’t just need connected candidate; yes I am. You don’t just need a candidate with a visible popularity that can be tested on resilience and delivery in this FCT; yes, I am,” she said.