Women and Youths of the South West, on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Saturday, rallied support for the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari, with declarations that the geopolitical zone will provide more votes for Buhari than it did in 2015.
Dominant in the statements of the various speakers at the event held at Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Liberty, Ibadan, were arguments that the Buhari administration had shown concern for the welfare of the people through his various social investment programmes and that the South West had resolved to toe the path of progress laid by the current federal government.
Wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari maintained that had attended to the welfare of children, youths, farmers, market women through social investment programmes like school feeding, N-power, Tradermoni, Marketmoni, Conditional Cash Transfers.
Aisha Buhari, represented by the wife of the Vice President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, said the Buhari led administration had shown concern for the Nigerian masses hence should be repaid by voting the return of the APC government on February 16.
Speaking further, she enjoined Nigerians to shun any form of violence during the elections but they should stand by their votes.
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Attendees at the rally included South West APC Women Leader, Mrs Kemi Nelson; South West Youth Leader, Mr Lawal Kolade; APC National Women Leader, Mrs Samatu Baiwa; Deputy Director, South, APC Presidential Campaign Council, Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; wives of governors, Bisi Fayemi (Ekiti), Bolanle Ambode (Lagos), Olufunso Amosun (Ogun), Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu (Ondo), Florence Ajimobi (Oyo), Kafayat Oyetola (Osun), Mairo Al-Makura (Nasarawa); Nkechi Okorocha (Imo), Zainab Bagudu (Kebbi), wife of former Osun governor, Kafayat Oyetola.
Also in attendance were National Leader of the APC, Senator Bola Tinubu represented by former Lagos deputy governor, Mr Femi Pedro; Vice Chairman, South West, APC, Chief Pius Akinyelure; Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state and his Osun counterpart, Mr Gboyega Oyetola; Mayegun of Ibadan land, General Buba Marwa.
Speaking on behalf of other governors’ wives of the South West, Fayemi, said the South West would not leave the path of progress and development outlined by Buhari, adding that the zone would vote en masse for Buhari.
“South West is secure for Buhari, no shaking. We won’t leave the expressway of progress laid by President Muhammadu Buhari for the bush,” Fayemi said.
Speaking, Al-Makura said the nation had been set on the path of development since 2015 after the PDP had put the country in disarray for 16 years.
According to Orelope-Adefulire, but for Buhari becoming President, Nigeria will have collapsed if the PDP government was allowed to continue beyond 2015.
She said Buhari should be appreciated for promoting the image of Nigeria in the comity of nations, therefore, should be voted for a second term to consolidate upon his achievements.
Nelson, on her part, avowed assurance that the South West, not oblivious of the fact that Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo was from the zone, will garner more votes for the APC than in 2015.
She further urged women and youths to not only collect their Permanent Voter Cards but galvanise support for the reelection bid of Buhari.
In his own remarks, Youth Leader, Kolade, has given the assurance that at least 10 million youths from the zone will vote for Buhari/Osinbajo.
Kolade said the youths of the zone supported the reelection of Buhari recognizing that the current administration had in the last three years built a foundation of strides for the country that will last the next 10 years.
“We, the youths of the South West, have resolved to give our son, Osinbajo, 10 million votes,” Kolade said.
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