Top officials of the All Progressives Congress (APC) rallied in Akure on Wednesday to drum up support for the party’s candidate, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, in the upcoming Ondo State governorship election. Leading the “mega rally” at MKO Abiola Democracy Park, Vice President Kashim Shettima, APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, and the governors of Ogun, Lagos, Kwara, and Ekiti states urged Ondo voters to ensure victory for Aiyedatiwa.
Shettima called on the people to support Aiyedatiwa, emphasizing that if past state leaders like Adekunle Ajasin, Adebayo Adefarati, and Rotimi Akeredolu were alive, they would back the APC, not what he termed “reactionary elements.”
“In just a few days, you will have your chance to show the love you have for Lucky Aiyedatiwa. I urge you to come out en masse and cast your vote for the APC. Your vote is your voice,” Shettima said. He went on to echo earlier sentiments, adding, “If Ajasin, Akeredolu, and Adefarati were alive, would they vote for the APC or reactionary elements?”
During the rally, Ganduje officially presented the party’s flag to Aiyedatiwa, urging voters to support the APC for continuity. “We are here to present our flag to our candidate. By voting for him, you are voting for continuity in progressive governance, infrastructure, and social services for the people of Ondo State,” he stated. He further appealed for “18 over 18 votes,” calling for political unity across the Southwest.
Senate Majority Leader Opeyemi Bamidele addressed the gathering, invoking the legacy of Ajasin and Akeredolu to inspire support. He urged voters to avoid electing leaders who would “plunder the economy and treasury of this state.”
Ondo APC Campaign Planning Committee Chair and Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu encouraged peaceful participation, saying, “When you troop out on Saturday, don’t fight anybody. Just stamp your thumb on the broom emblem.”
Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo predicted a landslide victory for the APC across all 18 local governments, asserting, “Saturday will be ‘Operation One Direct’—we’re not settling for anything less than 18-0 for Aiyedatiwa because we are all ‘Lucky.’”
Meanwhile, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) countered the APC’s “reactionary” label. PDP Publicity Secretary Kennedy Peretei criticized the APC, arguing that the current administration has brought “pain and frustration.” He said, “The APC personifies everything reactionary, unlike the progressive policies of the PDP.”
In related developments, despite the PDP’s call for the redeployment of Ondo Resident Electoral Commissioner Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) confirmed she would preside over the election. INEC Chief Press Secretary Rotimi Oyekanmi defended Babalola’s neutrality, calling the PDP’s claims “unfounded” and noting her unblemished record since her deployment.
