The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar; former President of the Senate, David Mark, who is also the National Chairman of ADC, and the party’s Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, yesterday, rallied the electorate in Osun State to vote for the party’s standard bearer, Najeem Salaam, during Saturday’s governorship polls in the state.

They assured the voters that the state could only witness responsible and virile leadership if they cast their ballots for the ADC, stressing that nobody should be swayed by any form of intimidation and protect their votes.

Salaam and the trio, while speaking during a campaign rally at the popular Freedom Park in Osogbo, which was attended by other top echelons of the ADC, including Dino Melaye, underscored the need for a violence-free and credible polls.

Atiku, who commended residents of the state for voting for him during the 2023 presidential polls when he contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state to defeat incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, said:

“I came here for the current governor (Ademola Adeleke) and I appealed to you to support him and you voted for him. I came here during the presidential campaign and you voted for me and defeated Bola Ahmed Tinubu in this state. For me, I can’t forget that.

“I have come today to you again to vote for ADC. This is because I can assure you that the ADC is different from the APC, Accord Party (AP) and all other parties. The best of Nigerians are today in ADC. I am appealing to you that in the next governorship election, you should vote for ADC.”

In his remarks, Aregbesola, who was governor of the state and immediate past Minister of Interior, restated that the party was not in alliance or negotiation talks with any political party ahead of Saturday’s governorship polls.

He maintained that the ADC remains the only political organisation with the flagship, philosophy and vision of Premier of Western Region, Obafemi Awolowo.

Mark, on his own, said they were in the state to celebrate the anticipated victory the people of Osun State will give to ADC after the end of the election on Saturday, saying that they should not entertain fear by protecting their votes.

Meanwhile, the ADC flag bearer, who is also a former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, assured the people that his administration, if elected, would implement a 10-point agenda, which focuses on free education, youth empowerment, agriculture, free health for children from one-year-old to 18, the elderly, free antenatal care to pregnant women, stable power supply, among others.