Gov poll: Don’t let me down, Tinubu begs Ekiti people

 

Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the 2023 election, Asiwaju Bola  Ahmed Tinubu, yesterday, described Ekiti election as the litmus test for next year’s presidential election, urging the people of the state not to let the party down.

 

He said the party cannot afford to lose the state, the more reason all the warring parties within the APC must bury their hatchets and come together to ensure victory for the party’s candidate in the Saturday’s election.

 

Tinubu was in Ekiti in company of 14 APC governors  for the grand finale political rally,  for the governorship candidate of the party in the June 18 poll, Mr Biodun Oyebanji.

 

At the event  were former Interim National Chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande, and the current National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu. 

 

Also in attendance were Governors Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, Gboyega Oyetola of Osun, Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna,  Abdurasaq Abdurahman of Kwara and Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe.

 

Others are Governors Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi, Solomon Lalong of Plateau, Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa, Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa, Babagaba Zulum of Borno State and Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos.

Tinubu told the mammoth crowd that had converged on the Ekiti Parapo Pavilion, the venue of the rally, as early as 10am, that APC had started a revolution in Nigeria since 2015 by sweeping away the PDP.

 

He noted that the revolution pioneered by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 and, which was sustained in 2019 should be allowed to reach its zenith by voting for APC in all elections. 

 

Tinubu said: “President Buhari, a man of honour and dignity, had kept his promise by passing the ball to us in the South that we should produce the next President and it is now left for us to vote APC to maintain the unity and progress of our nation.”

 

Speaking on the significance of Ekiti election to his presidential aspiration, Tinubu said: “To those who are aggrieved in Ekiti, nothing is wrong in having quarrels in a party, but it is not good to burn down the house.  That is why I want you to vote for ‘Emilokan of Ekiti’, Biodun Oyebanji. This is our first test after my emergence, don’t let us fail. Don’t let us disappoint President Buhari. We must put Nigeria on the path of progress and you will never regret voting for APC in this election.”

 

In his submission, Governors    Akeredolu, Sanwo-Olu and Bagudu, described Oyebanji as the best man to continue with the purposeful leadership laid by Governor    Kayode Fayemi.

 

Bagudu, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, said: “The Progressive Governors’ Forum knows that Ekiti will do us proud on Saturday by overwhelmingly voting for APC, banking on the solid foundation Governor  Fayemi has provided. 

 

“Biodun Oyebanji is the only one that can continue the good work Fayemi has begun. He will not disappoint you. The South-West has a big task ahead of 2023 and holding the zone strongly for Asiwaju to be able to win the 2023 presidential election will be to the benefit of all of us.”

 

Presenting the flag to the candidate, the National Chairman of the Party, Senator Adamu, expressed optimism that Oyebanji will be elected as the next governor to succeed Fayemi, who he said had done wonderfully well in the last four years. 

 

He said: “Since the nomination of my brother and your father, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, as our presidential candidate, this is our first outing. We want to see you come out and vote for this humble and service-inclined young man. 

 

“I have been to Ekiti on three occasions, but I have never seen this kind of crowd. I have never seen a crowd like this and this is an indication of the support you have for APC.

 

We saw the votes you gave APC in 2018 and you have to replicate it and even do more on Saturday.” On his part, former Osun State Governor, Chief Akande said: “Please, whoever we have offended should forgive us in the interest of our party and all of us. APC is a party that we can trust. Yoruba and Ekiti in particular belong to the progressive and we must display it in this election.”