The Kano state governor was named as the chairman, at the inauguration of the campaign committee for the coming Osun state poll at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja.
Other members of the committee include, Zamfara State governor, Abdul-Aziz Yari deputy chairman of the campaign, Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello, Ogun state governor, Ibikunle Amosun op Abubakar of Bauchi; Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos, Simon Lalong of Plateau, Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa and Rauf Aregbesola of Osun APC lawmakers and some ministers.
Addressing members of the committee after their inauguration, the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole stressed that it is very paramount for the party to retain the state after ruling it for eight years.
According to him, “by way of protocol, the sixty-three names I just read out constitute members of the Osun State campaign council. We are very grateful to governor Ganduje for graciously accepting to provide leadership and chair this very important committee.
“So, we have a body of experience to go about and the whole idea is to sustain the values and the ideals of our Party, which is based on transparent elections on the basis of one man, one vote and joining forces with the party leadership in the state, to work hard, to mobilise people of Osun State to vote wisely for the APC candidate in the next governorship election that is scheduled to take place by the special of God on 22nd September 2018.
“Your Excellencies, the importance of an election doesn’t require much elaboration. As a governing party, Nigerians resolve in our favour that the All Progressives Congress should not only preside at the centre.
“They have expressed so much trust and confidence in our party, that on our party’s platform, 24 governors were elected even though the Supreme Court judgment had said it is parties that win election not an individual Amaechi vs Celestine Omehia.
“However, some governors were happy with their people having voted for us in Sokoto, in Kwara and in Benue. We are happy that more progressives are coming. So, the importance of Osun is readily appreciated by all of us. First, it is a State we had taken over from the PDP, we defeated the sitting governor at that time and happily that sitting governor joined us today.”
In his response, Governor Ganduje while thanking the party National Chairman said that “There is no doubt that this is a very powerful council looking at the composition of the membership, governors, senators, experience party men.
According to him, “the task ahead of us is very important. So I think Mr chairman what you have done is to match the quality of the council with the importance of assignment.
“There is no doubt that winning Osun State is very vital to the party, the government because its a state we shall retain, it has been our state in APC for the last 8 years and by the will of God we will maintain this state in order to have a 100% states of the southwestern part of this country in our great party.
“As progressives Mr chairman we assure you we will ensure clean, free and fair election because that is the motive of the APC. Free of violence.
“What we intend to do is to mobilize our people. We are even very lucky that the primaries conducted succeeded in mobilising the people, in energizing the people, in giving our members hope in Osun state so that we continue with that mobilization until the election day when certainly we will win this election.
“Luckily enough the governor of Osun is a man of the people, he provided the dividend of Democracy. He is the man who relates with all the strata of the society in Osun. So he is a man that is being loved by the people.
“So all that is required now is for us to sit together to ensure there is total reconciliation among those who contested for the primaries.
“This is very important to give a sense of belonging so everyone will participate in the electioneering and in the election and also mobilize all the stakeholders to ensure we work in unity.
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