The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday inaugurated a 305-member National Campaign Council for the Ondo State governorship election, with the National Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Ganduje, charging members to deliver APC and its candidate in the election.
Inaugurating the council headed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, she sued for the cooperation of members of the party and said the party remains committed to building the Sunshine State if given the mandate again.
While calling for healthy competition in the build-up to the election, the APC National Chairman asked members of the party to be law-abiding and play the game by the rules.
He disclosed that the campaign will be headed by the Governor of Lagos State, while former deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, is the Secretary of the Committee, which includes executive governors, ministers, and members of the National Assembly.
He said, “The campaign council will swing into action and build a strong synergy with the local campaign council. We have to retain Ondo State for APC through democratic means.
“Also, Mr President is from this geopolitical zone, and in order to show a mark of respect and that we appreciate him, we must ensure homogeneity in this geopolitical zone, and it is a task that must be done through democratic means.
“We urge you to mobilise members of our party to mobilise families in order to ensure that we win this election. We are here to encourage and motivate you to ensure that the election will be free and fair, and by the grace of God, it will be victorious.
“The governor of Ondo State, who is also the incoming governor by the grace of God, we appreciate all the reforms that he has introduced, and we appreciate him continuing with this network of programmes and projects being executed in Ondo State.
“The governor is providing progressive leadership, and progressive leadership is a symbol of progressive ideology. We are here in Ondo State to assure you that this programme will continue and will continue providing the much-needed infrastructural facilities in both urban and rural areas.
“Ondo State people are blessed because they have a governor who is a lucky man. He is born a lucky man; he is seriously a lucky man, and he will continue to be a lucky man.”
The Chairman of the Campaign Committee, Sanwo-Olu, expressed satisfaction with the consultation of the committee members, noting that Aiyedatiwa has made the job of the committee less tasking as he has already produced a blueprint for the development of the state with his developmental strides within the last ten months.
He further stated that the state would experience full political participation and the dividends of democracy if Aiyedatiwa returned as governor of the state.
Sanwo-Olu said, “It is my singular honour to assure all of you that we will do everything within our means, constitutionally and professionally within the norms of any election to ensure a free, fair election and campaign about issues.
“It will not be a campaign on sentiment or abuse but on issues because Aiyedatiwa has made our job simple and easier because, in 305 days, he has a compendium of projects that he has embarked on under his legacy agenda.
“He’s a man; we can go out with our full chest to assure the citizens of Ondo State that more developmental projects will be put in place in the next four years in the state.”
Governor Aiyedatiwa, while appreciating the national leadership of the party, said the forthcoming election is going to be a defining moment for APC as a party, Ondo State, the Southwest region, and Nigeria at large.
He said, “What we are doing here today is a display of the strength of our will when we work together. It is the evidence of our capability, which, by God’s grace, will produce victory on November 16, 2024.
” The successful journey of our Party in Ondo State to this point is an open book. Everyone who reads it knows it. They know what power our unity, cooperation, and vision can unleash. Other political parties, even our arch opponents, now know what they lack but which we have in abundance.
“We have love, unity, respect, courage, vision, and unwavering commitment to succeed. We have a heart that truly cares for the people and a resilient mind with a winning mentality.”
Aiyedatiwa added, “We are grateful to the people of Ondo State for the exceptional show of love to our party.
” They appreciate our commitment to make life more abundant, more meaningful, more rewarding, and worth living for them. And we do not take their trust for granted.
“This is why throughout our campaigns in the cities, towns, villages, hamlets, door to door and face to face, we have listened carefully to the feedback from their lips to our ears.
“They are words of solidarity and confidence. Words that demonstrate the strong bond we share with our people and the love they have for a leadership that upholds their dignity.
“Our interventions in the last 10 months justify our quest. Within the last 10 months, we have deliberately focused on infrastructural development, public utility renewal, agricultural production increment, entrepreneurship and youth development, job creation, and security.
The governor said, “We have focused on strengthening governance institutions through fiscal discipline, improved healthcare, access to quality education, and responsible citizenship.
“We have shown commitment to social welfare to alleviate the sufferings of our people. We have deliberately created stronger engagement with our women, too. We are concerned with leadership with integrity and character. We are not talking about our people; we are talking with them.
“Remarkably, within our 10 months in the saddle, we have activated the construction of not less than 70 km of rural roads in order to provide access to our farm settlements and villages.
“This is in addition to the new 60km city-based roads recently awarded alongside the ongoing roads, bridges, and public building projects initiated and awarded by our administration.
“It is significant that our workers are happy and well-motivated as we pay their salaries regularly and promptly. We owe no Kobo to workers, even as they enjoy their regular promotions.
“We have employed workers into critical sectors of the public service, such as health and the Internal Revenue Service, while processes are at an advanced stage to recruit about 2,000 teachers for public primary and secondary schools.
Aiyedatiwa said, “We have supported not less than 500 youths with hundreds of million naira grants and loans as part of start-up kits for their entrepreneurial businesses.
“We are supporting our farmers with access to quality funds and finance, as well as technology and trade. We are also giving scholarships, bursaries, and financial assistance to students of Ondo State origin in higher institutions across Nigeria.
“I believe government is about the people. We are resolute and committed to that faith. We have worked hard for the hearts of the people. We are talking to them house to house, door to door, and mouth to ear.
“Above all, we are committed to a peaceful and credible election, where votes count. Ladies and gentlemen, by the grace of God Almighty, come 16th 16, 2024, we shall win. And we shall gather here once again to celebrate our victory. It is the promise of God for His people.
“We are indeed happy and grateful for the inauguration of the campaign council today; we believe it is a big boost, a huge addition to the winning resolve of our progressive party.
“We have no doubt that our strategies would be enhanced, our vitality would be more vigorous, and our bonding with voters would be more decisive.”
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