President Bola Tinubu and five All Progressives Congress (APC) governors including serving ministers and members of the House of Representatives on Wednesday attended the mega rally of the party to ramp up its campaign for the candidate of the party for the November 16 governorship election in Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
The governors present in the rally held at the MKO Democracy Park, Akure were the chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum and Imo State governor, Hope Uzodinma; Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Ogun State governor, Dapo; Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji and Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
Other dignitaries at the event include National Chairman of the party, Abdulahi Ganduje, National Vice Chairman (South West), Isaac Kekemeke.
Also present were, Minister of Interior, Bunmi Tunji-Ojo; Minister of State for Youths Ayo Olawande, Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh , Minister of Blue and Marine Economy, Gboyega Oyetola; Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, Senator Yayi Solomon, Senator Adeniyi Adegbomire, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Senator Jide Ipinsagba Senator Ovie Omo-agege, Philip Shuaibu among other top chieftains of party.
While presenting the flag of the party to the candidate of the party ahead of the poll, President Bola Tinubu, who was represented by his vice, Kassim Shettima boasted that the party will win all the 18 Local Government Areas of the state.
Particularly, he said the coastal state needs a strategic thinker, builder and a man with a compassionate heart like Lucky Aiyedatiwa that can transform the state in all sectors.
His words: “This is the democracy we believe in. The democracy that triumph propaganda, that triumph bitterness, that triumph lies, that triumph hate, that triumph violence. Your vote will be your voice, your convictions, your message to those who underestimate the strength and will of the people of Ondo State.
“I’m bringing you good tidings from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He ought to have been here but the exigencies of the office compelled him to ask the high-level delegation to come and represent him in the sunshine state.
“And I want to echo the sentiment earlier expressed by the Senate Majority Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele. Leaders of Ondo, if Adekunle Ajasin is to be alive, is he going to vote for APC or for the reactionary elements? If my friend, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, is to be alive, is he going to vote for the APC or for the reactionary party?
“My friend, Rahman Mimiko, is he going to vote for the APC or for the reactionary party? Baba Reuben Fasoranti, is he going to vote for the APC or for the reactionary party? If late Adebayo Adefarati were to be alive, will he vote for APC or the reactionary elements?”
He added that the President has good tidings for the people of Ondo State, the people of the Southwest and the people of Nigeria, stressing that just last week, he approved the establishment of a university teaching hospital in Akure.
“The President deserves double kudos for his empathy. Ondo State has two senior ministers. The Minister of Interior is from Ondo and the Minister for Youth Development is from Ondo. To those, much is given, much is equally expected.
“I want to thank you for standing in the sun for hours to wait for us to deliver this address. Honestly, I want to convey our depth of gratitude to you. The President has the highest regards for the people of Ondo. You are a state of progressive. Come out and vote for the progressive candidate. Come out en masse. We are winning all the 18 local government areas.”
Earlier, the National Chairman of the party, Umar Ganduje, called on the electorates to vote for the incumbent governor for continuity.
“A vote for Aiyedatiwa is a vote for Infrastructural development, providing social facilities for the people. A vote for Aiyedatiwa is a vote for political uniformity”.
Also, the candidate of the party and incumbent governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa said his giant strides in all sectors within his last 10 months in office has demonstrated his capacity to take the state to an enviable height, if given the mandate for another four years.
The wish of my principal, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu was that I should succeed him. I wish he was here today. I was loyal to him.
“Since I assumed office in the last 10 months, you know what we’ve done and you know what we can do. You haven’t seen anything. The government has become yours in Ilaje, Irele and Okitipupa. The government has become yours in Odigbo, Ile-Olu/Oke-Igbo, Ondo West and West.
“The government has become yours in Ifedore, Akure South, Akure North and Idanre. The government has become yours in Owo, Ose, Akoko South West/East, Akoko North East and Akoko North West”, the governor added.
Fidelis David
Follow us on:
