President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday charged Ogun State residents to vote for the candidates of their choice.
He gave the advice during the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential campaign rally at the M.K.O Abiola Stadium in Ogun State.
But proceedings at the rally were interrupted severally by the fans who were divided over who the next Ogun State Governor should be.
While Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun is supporting the reelection of President Buhari and the Ogun State governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Adekunle Akinlade, the National APC and former Ogun State Governor, Olusegun Osoba are behind the APC Governorship candidate in the state, Dapo Abiodun.
The atmosphere was tensed throughout the duration of the rally.
The fans intermittently disrupted the speech of those opposed to their candidates by booing them and shouting ‘Olee’, ‘Olee’, ‘Olee’.
They also threw empty water container and their placards at the pavilion, where the dignitaries were seated.
The ugly treatment was meted out specifically to the former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aragbesola and the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole when they were called forward to make their remarks.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Amosun took time to appeal to the fans to let peace reign.
The dignitaries at the pavilion gently filed to their buses and jeeps as the rally was coming to end with the President’s speech to avoid the missiles from the aggrieved fans.
The President stressed that it is the right of the residents to vote for the candidates of their choice.
He urged them to come out on Saturday in high number to exercise their civic right.
“I appeal to you to vote whoever you like. It is your right,” he said
Noting that Nigeria is now virtually self-sufficient in rice production, he said that Ogun State, Lagos State among other states have been doing well in rice production.
According to him, his administration has done well in the three areas of security, economy and fighting corruption.
He said that his administration is poised to take the nation to the next level in the next four years.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo promised that the government will specifically create more jobs, fix electricity and give more money to traders in the next four years.
He pointed out that nothing can be done to develop the nation except honest leaders are voted into power.
According to him, President Buhari has an honest character and all those opposing him are well aware of the President’s unique qualities.
“We have to vote for the President on Saturday,” he said
Amosun urged the residents to vote for President Buhari on Saturday but that they know what to do concerning the governorship election and other elections in the state.
Pleading with the angry fans to swallow their anger in the interest of APC, he said that the state is supporting President Buhari of his love for Ogun State people and because of his performance in governance.
He said that those opposing him, are doing so because they want to loot the treasury.
Amosun also noted that President Buhari is the only President that acknowledged and recognized the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola, who was son of the soil.
The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and Oshiomhole urged the crowd to vote for APC from the top to the bottom.
At the rally were the National Leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Osinbajo’s wife, Mrs. Dolapo, Ogun State APC Governorship candidate, Dapo Abiodun, former Ogun State Governor, Olusegun Osoba.
Others include Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi.
