President Muhammadu Buhari and the National leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, were absent at the grand finale of the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign for the Ondo governorship election held at Akure Township Stadium on Wednesday and was witnessed by mammoth supporters of the APC, from the 18 local government areas of the state.
Though, president Buhari sent a video message to party supporters at the APC campaign for the Ondo governorship election, the President urged the electorate to turn out en masse to vote on Saturday without fear of molestation.
The president expressed confidence that the party supporters will vote in accordance with the laws guiding the electoral process.
Meanwhile, twelve state governors and other chieftains of the All Progressive Congress stormed Ondo state for the grand finale of governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s campaign rally ahead of Saturday’s poll.
They include Abubakar Bello (Niger) Solomon Lanlong (Plateau) Abdulrasak Abdulrahman (Kwara) Babagana Zulu (Borno) Nasir el-rufai (Kaduna) Umaru Ganduje (Kano) Inuwa Yayah (Gombe) Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Others include, Babajide Sanwo Olu (Lagos) Abubakar Nassau (Jigawa) and former governor Abdul Aziz Yari of Zamfara and ministers.
The rally which is coming ahead of the governorship election was held at Akure Township Stadium and was witnessed by mammoth supporters of the APC, from the 18 local government areas of the state.
The National Caretaker Chairman of the APC, Mai Mala Buni, expressed optimism that the party will come out victorious in the Saturday election and appealed to the people of the state not to embrace violence during the poll. He urged the people to come en mass to vote for APC and Akeredolu to sustain continuity of progress in Ondo state.
According to him, ” We are here to win election. We are here not to create or cause any violence. We are here to consolidate our mandate on Aketi.
“I want our people to come out en masse on Saturday and vote for APC in order to sustain the continuity of progress in Ondo state.”
The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, whose message was also delivered electronically, commended the governor for various projects he had embarked upon in the first term, especially in the areas of infrastructure, education and prompt payment of salaries of the civil servants of the state.
He urged the people of the state to come out on Saturday to vote the APC candidate for the continuation of the work.
Speaking, Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello said governor Akeredolu has performed credibly well in all strata of government including massive infrastructural drive and human capital development.
He boasted that the party will record victory in all the 18 local government areas of the state urging the people to come out and vote the party.
Akeredolu has performed creditably well in the area of infrastructure, human capital development and he wants to continue to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people of Ondo state.
“This is why we are asking for continuity so that he can consolidate on his achievements.
“Don’t be intimidated by the opposition parties because we are going to win in the whole 18 local government areas in the state. It is going to be a landslide victory, we will win, don’t be intimidated”.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and the Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, said APC is more united than ever to return Akeredolu second time as the governor of the state.
We are fully behind the governor of Ondo state and we shall win by God’s grace.
“I have to be here because Akeredolu is in the exclusive list of governors in Nigeria and all of us are united and behind him.
We will deliver and return Akeredolu on Saturday, there won’t be room for rerun.
Akeredolu appreciated President Buhari, his Vice, Yemi Osinbajo, all APC governor’s and leaders and the people of the state for their support in the last four years.
He said the giant strides recorded by his administration will ensure his victory in the Saturday election, assuring the people of more developmental projects in his second term.
