… Inaugurates Ondo executive, vows one million votes

… Cites federal presence, kicks off mobilisation drive

The City Boy Movement has disclosed that the people of Ondo State are set to reward President Bola Tinubu with votes in 2027, citing what it described as an unprecedented federal government presence in the state in the form of projects and appointments.

The movement said the state recorded one of the strongest performances for Tinubu in the South-West during the 2023 presidential election and should surpass the feat in the next poll, arguing that the state has been adequately compensated for its loyalty.

The group made the position known during the inauguration of its state executives in Akure, the state capital where it also unveiled plans to mobilise support across the state’s 18 local government areas ahead of the elections.

The group said the federal government’s footprint in Ondo, particularly in infrastructure and key appointments, had placed the state in a strong position to deliver a bigger margin for the president in 2027.

It listed the appointments of the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande and the Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, as evidence of the administration’s regard for the state.

It also pointed to ongoing federal projects, including the Ore-Ondo-Akure Road, Akure-Ado Ekiti Road, Ilesha-Akure-Benin Road, the Owo-Benin Highway and the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as well as the approval of a Federal Teaching Hospital for the Federal University of Technology Akure, the Aviation College, the NELFUND student loan scheme and the NDDC power project in Ondo South.

The movement’s State Director, Oluwafemi Ayejusunle, said the group had set a target of delivering more than one million votes for Tinubu in 2027, adding that its structures would be strengthened across all 18 LGAs.

He said, “Let us remember where we are coming from. In the 2023 presidential election, Ondo State delivered the highest number of votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the entire South-West. We led; others followed.

“In 2027, we must not only repeat that historic feat, we must surpass it with over one million votes. Ondo State is ready.”

He added that a second term for the President would guarantee the completion of the Ondo Deep Sea Port and industrial park, expected to create over 100,000 jobs; the completion of all ongoing federal roads; a permanent solution to the Ayetoro sea incursion; expanded youth empowerment through skills acquisition, digital innovation and entrepreneurship programmes; as well as more affordable housing, improved power supply and social welfare for the people.

The Ondo State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Babatunde Kolawole, reaffirmed the party’s support for Tinubu and urged members to remain united ahead of the elections, describing young people as critical stakeholders in governance and development.

The APC South-West Youth Leader, Adesuyi Daramola, commended the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, for encouraging greater youth participation in politics and governance, saying the mobilisation effort would engage youths, professionals and grassroots stakeholders across the region.