Over the years, I have observed a painful reality.
The people who attend political meetings, campaign from door to door, mobilise others to vote, and queue for hours on election day are mostly ordinary men and women struggling to survive. They are the backbone of every political campaign.
Yet, once the elections are over, whether their preferred party wins or loses, they are too often forgotten. They return to the same hardship, unemployment, hunger, and uncertainty, waiting another four years in the hope that the next election will somehow change their lives.
This cycle has continued for far too long.
I believe we must break it.
While government has an important responsibility, government alone cannot reach every family or every community. We cannot continue waiting indefinitely for solutions to come from above. Communities must also organise themselves to create opportunities for their own people.
That is why my vision is to establish a *Community Cooperative Union* — a people-owned, people-driven organisation dedicated to lifting families out of poverty through collective action
The Cooperative Union will focus on practical interventions, including:
1.Affordable loans and financial support for small businesses.
2.Skills acquisition and vocational training for young people and women.
3.Support for apprenticeships and entrepreneurship.
4.Community-based primary healthcare initiatives.
5.Educational support through scholarships, learning materials, and vocational education.
6.Bulk purchase and distribution of essential food items at reduced prices.
7.Savings and investment schemes that help members build wealth over time.
8.Welfare support for the elderly, widows, and vulnerable members of the community.
*This is not charity. It is empowerment.*
It is about giving people the tools and opportunities to become self-reliant, create jobs, and improve their standard of living.
Whether I win or lose any election, this vision remains unchanged. Politics should not begin and end with elections.
Leadership is about serving the people every day.
I therefore invite everyone—professionals, business owners, artisans, market women, youths, retirees, and friends of our community—to join this movement.
Together, we can build a Cooperative Union that belongs to all of us, where every contribution strengthens another family and every success benefits the entire community.
The time to start is now. We cannot afford to wait another four years.
*A STRONGER COMMUNITY WITH ALL OF US*
Together, we can replace dependency with opportunity, poverty with prosperity, and despair with hope.
Yomi Idowu
Lagos Central senatorial candidate
ADC
