2022 Poll: Tinubu, 14 APC Governors Storm Ekiti for Oyebanji

•Ekiti votes pivotal to my presidential bid, says ex-Lagos governor

Victor Ogunje

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2023 election and former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and 14 governors elected on the platform of the party, yesterday, stormed Ekiti State to campaign for the party’s governorship candidate in the Saturday, June 18 election, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji.

Also, at the grand finale political rally, held by the party to reinforce  support for Oyebanji, were former Osun State governor and first Interim National Chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande and the current National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

Beside the Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, present at the occasion were Governors Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State, Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State, Abdurasaq Abdurahman of Kwara State and Inua Yahaya of Gombe State.

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

Addressing the mammoth crowd of party supporters that converged on the Ekiti Parapo Pavilion in Ado Ekiti and venue of the rally, Tinubu said APC had started a revolution in Nigeria since 2015 by sweeping away the PDP.

Tinubu averred that the revolution pioneered by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 and, which was sustained in 2019 should be allowed to reach an enviable height 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 about the significance of the 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 Fayemi.

Bagudu, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, added that Tinubu had been picked as the presidential candidate and that the Southwest zone must stand by him, and that the only way to demonstrate this is by winning Ekiti for APC.

“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 Southwest 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,” Bagudu stated.

Presenting the flag to the candidate, Adamu expressed optimism that Oyebanji would be elected the next governor to succeed Fayemi, whom he said had done wonderfully well in the last four years.

“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 a 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 and even do more on Saturday,” Adamu pleaded.

Akande held that if all Nigerians, including Hausa, Fulani and Igbo, agreed to make a Yoruba man president in 2023, Ekiti voters shouldn’t disgrace the party on Saturday.

“Please, whoever we have offended should please 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 belongs to the progressive and we must display this election,” Akande said.