Get Guardian on Google… We’ll repay President’s reforms, appointments with votes – Tinubu
… Yari, Oshiomhole, Uzodimma, Bamidele rally support for APC
President Bola Tinubu has stated that with 2.1 million registered voters in Ondo State, the least expected from votes from the state for the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the 2027 polls is 1.2 million.
Tinubu stressed this at the presidential campaign rally held on Wednesday in Akure, the Ondo State capital, where he was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Shettima, who led other top party chieftains to the Akure Township Stadium, the venue of the campaign rally, described the turnout as a clear indication that the state remains a progressive stronghold.
The Vice President, who reeled out the achievements of the Tinubu-led administration in the last three and a half years, said the opposition has been conducting its campaigns on social media, adding that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has not been able to put his state in order, to the extent that all former governors of his state are not in alignment with him.
Shettima also took a swipe at the former Governor of Anambra State and presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, stating that he has nothing to offer other than what he described as obnoxious data.
“For the people of Ondo, as we are talking, there is a universal elite consensus backing the president here in Ondo.
The ability to import cheap South African wines does not make one a guru in economics,” he said.
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa reaffirmed the commitment of the people of Ondo State to deliver a minimum of one million votes for Tinubu, citing the president’s progressive policies that he said have changed the fortunes of the country.
Aiyedatiwa hailed the president for the reforms in the country as well as the appointments of three ministers from the state, including the Minister of Finance, Prof. Taiwo Oyedele, and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and
the Minister of Youth, Ayodele Olawande.
The governor also harped on the positive impact of the president’s reforms at the grassroots level, noting that his administration has recruited over 6,000 workers across various sectors, rehabilitated health institutions, built infrastructure, and supported young entrepreneurs in the state.
Also speaking, APC National Chairman Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda described Tinubu as the most experienced, exposed, prepared, and competent among the 18 presidential candidates presented by political parties.
He said the president was fearless and had confronted Nigeria’s economic challenges, noting that more than 31 states, which could not pay salaries when he assumed office, could now meet their obligations.
The Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign and former Zamfara State Governor, Abdulazeez Yari, said Tinubu had demonstrated exceptional commitment to Ondo through political appointments and other benefits.
On his part, the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, enjoined the people of the state to vote overwhelmingly for Tinubu on January 16, 2027.
He stated Tinubu has directed all party leaders in the state to work cohesively with Aiyedatiwa, who has been designated as the sole state coordinator for the campaign.
Bamidele stressed the importance of unity among party leaders across the three senatorial districts, urging them to give active roles to all stakeholders, assuring that all would be given opportunities to contribute to the campaign.
He noted that the president has done much for Ondo State, including the appointment of three ministers and two ambassadors, one of whom is Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and another serving as ambassador to Russia, stressing that the appointments must translate into electoral support for the president.
Former Governor Olusegun Mimiko, addressing the rally, urged APC supporters not to relent in their efforts at winning big for the president.
He assured the president that all leaders in the state will work together as a team to deliver the state for him and also ensure that all candidates in the state win their elections.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole said Tinubu has worked well for Nigerians and that the best way to reciprocate his good deeds is to return him as president, citing the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), interventions that led to the stability of the economy, the coastal road, infrastructural development, and youth development programs as evidence of the president’s commitment to improving the lives of Nigerians.
Chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum, Senator Hope Uzodimma, said Ondo people must prove through their votes that they love Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
He noted that out of the over two million registered voters in the state, the one million vote target is achievable.
