Tinubu evokes Ajasin, Akeredolu’s memories in push for votes

AS Ondo State prepares to go to the polls on Saturday to elect a new gov-Jernor, President
Bola Tinubu on Wednesday evoked the memories of former governors of the state – Adekunle Ajasin and Oluwarotimi Akeredolu – to rally votes for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

It was at the final rally of the party held in Akure, the state capital.

Some leaders of the party at the rally included the national chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, state governors and many others.

Tinubu, who was represented by his vice, Kasshim Shettima, urged the people of Ondo to vote for Aiyedatiwa as the governor of the state, describing him as the right man to take the state to the next level.

He described the opposition as reactionary parties and said no former governors of the state, both dead and alive, would have voted for any ‘reactionary party’.

“We bring you greetings from the President, if Ajasin were still alive, is he going to vote for the APC or reactionary party, if Akeredolu were to be alive, is he going to vote for the APC or the reactionary party. Would Mimiko vote for the APC or reactionary party,” he said.

He also said a vote for APC will be a vote for progress to ensure continuous development that had already started in the South-West region.

“I urge you to come out en-mass to vote for APC. Ondo State has two senior ministers, to whom much is given, much is expected.

“This is the democracy we believe in. The democracy that triumphs propaganda, that triumphs bitterness, that triumphs lies, that triumphs hate, that triumphs violence.

“Your vote will be your voice, your convictions and your message to those who underestimate the strength and will of the people of Ondo State.

“So, I urge you, cast your vote. Your vote is your voice.

On Saturday, I will urge you to come out en mass. The President has good tidings for the people of Ondo State, the people of the South West and the people of Nigeria.

“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 mass. We are winning all the 18 local government areas.”

Read Also: The Ondo governorship election

The chairman of APC campaign council for Ondo Election, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, appealed to APC members to conduct themselves before and during the election, saying nobody should fight with the opposition, other than speaking with their vote for APC.

Sanwo-Olu expressed optimism that the party will win the election, and said he will still return to the state to appreciate the people for standing with the party.

The national chairman of the party, Alhaji Abdulahi Ganduje, said they all came down to Ondo to support Aiyedatiwa to victory.

Ganduje later presented the party’s flag to the governor and his running mate, Olayide Adelami.

The candidate of the APC, Aiyedatiwa, said he was loyal all through till the end to his former boss, the late Rotimi Akeredolu, saying Akeredolu would have endorsed his candidacy to succeed him.

Aiyedatiwa assured the people of the state that he would do more for the progress of the state.

Also speaking, the Minister of Interior, Mr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said the party was fully ready for victory and would win the election in all the 18 local government area of the state for Aiyedatiwa Tunji-Ojo assured the president that Aiyedatiwa would win the election in all the 18 local government of the state.