The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Campaign Council for the Osun governorship poll Monday expressed confidence that the party will secure a landslide victory in the July 16 contest.
The assurance was made in Osogbo by the council’s co-chairmen, Lagos state Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, his Kano counterpart, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and the party’s national secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore.
The trio maintained that the APC governorship candidate and incumbent governor of the State, Adegboyega Oyetola would emerge victorious on the first ballot, saying “there is no room for inconclusive this time around.”
They spoke when the Oyetola re-election campaign train moved to Odo-Otin local government area of the state.
Speaking at the palace of Olokuku of Okuku, Oba Abioye Oyebode, Governor Sanwo-Olu said the entire structure of the APC and its members were aware of the outstanding performance of the governor, hence the commitment to ensure his re-election for a second term.
He added that Governor Oyetola had performed creditably well to deserve another term to consolidate on the good works he started.
“We have come to support your son, a governor who is a pride among governors. This is a man whom God has blessed with deep wisdom and wealth of experience, no wonder he is doing wonderfully well. We are proud to be associated with him and he is an example to many of us.
“We have come to show you that he is not alone on this journey. By the grace of God, Oyetola will be re-elected come July 16. This election is one that is projected to bring progress to Osun, and to Nigeria as a whole. So, we expect Governor Oyetola’s re-election to come with ease and landslide victory.
“The good people of Osun, if you are privileged to have an uncommon leader, give him all the support possible. If fellow governors can testify that he is a shining light that should give a fair idea of how uncommon he is.
“We will be here next week for the national campaign for him. By the grace of God, Oyetola will win and we are going to vote. This is a decision that will bring development and progress not only to Osun but to entire Nigeria as Osun election will determine next year’s general elections,” SanwoOlu said.
Ganduje
On his part, Governor Ganduje said the leadership and members of the party were resolute to deliver Osun for APC.
“We are here to give maximum support to our brother, your son, Governor Oyetola. From what we have heard and seen, he has performed excellently well in all sectors and God has used him to bring social development to Osun within the three and a half years he has been administering the affairs of the state.
“He has done a lot in education, infrastructure, empowerment, and he has built a good relationship with workers, trade unions, traditional institutions among others. This is the confidence we have that it will be a landslide victory for him in the coming election. There is no way this will be an inconclusive election,” the Kano governor noted.
Omisore’s turn
Also speaking, Senator Omisore and the National Women Leader of the APC, Dr. Betta Edu, said the party had put in place necessary mechanisms to ensure free, fair and credible election.
“We have heard from our visiting governors what Governor Oyetola represents and what his re-election presupposes. These words are open challenge to us to do what is right for the sake of Osun and its future,” Omisore added.
In their separate remarks, Director-General of Oyetola’s re-election campaign council, Sen. Ajibola Basiru and the APC state chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun, described the July 16 governorship poll as critical to the state’s progress, adding that only a progressive-minded candidate deserves to be elected.
According to them: “Governor Oyetola has proven in the last three and a half years that he is capable of fulfilling the responsibilities of the government to the people. Osun is in safe hands with him.”
Olokuku lauds gov
While receiving the Governor and members of his re-election campaign council, Olokuku of Okuku, Oba Oyebode, lauded Oyetola for making traditional rulers in the state proud by fulfilling his promises to their subjects.
He said: “We wholeheartedly declare our support for Governor Adegboyega Oyetola. You have made us proud and given us enough reasons to speak about you to our subjects with confidence because you have fulfilled your promises to our people.”
Oyetola speaks
While addressing a crowd of supporters and other residents at the campaign venue, Governor Oyetola commended Osun citizens for the confidence reposed in him, saying their votes in 2018 gave him the privilege to prove his good intention for the state.
He called on citizens to discern the times and make decisions that can safeguard the future of the state, adding that he is ready to consolidate on the strong progressive foundation he had laid in the last three and a half years.
INEC assures
Meanwhile, Chairman Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Professor Mahmood Yakubu has expressed the commission’s determination to surpass its record in Ekiti by conducting a hitch-free governorship election in Osun state.
He said the commission had perfected plans and put every machinery in place to achieve a free, fair and credible poll.
Speaking in Osogbo after assessing the non-sensitive materials, Yakubu said the commission is ready to go on with the Osun governorship election and achieve better results.
The INEC boss, who went around the state with the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Professor Abdulganiy Raji, and other senior officials, expressed satisfaction with the level of preparation ahead of the poll.
He met the electoral officers at the commission’s office, Okefia, Osogbo, and advised them to be proactive and do everything necessary to ensure their early arrival at the polling units come July 16.
He said: “Identify the Registration Area Centers (RAC) so that on the day of the election, you can activate the centres as early as 6am. We should be waiting for the electorate not otherwise.
“Remember, Ekiti was good, but we want Osun to beat our record in Ekiti and the 2023 General election. We rely on you for transportation arrangement, early movement of materials, liaison with the security, moving them in good time. We must do this right. At the RAC centres, ensure adequate electricity so that they can recharge some of the equipment like the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) and power banks so that on election day we can have a seamless exercise.”
The INEC boss also visited some polling units designated for the conduct of mock accreditation, saying the exercise had shown 100percent of the commission’s readiness for the election.
“We are here on readiness assessment of the commission to conduct the election on the 16th of July 2022 and also to visit some designated centres where we are doing the mock accreditation exercise.
“In this particular centre, we have achieved 100 per cent success for all those who presented themselves for accreditation so far,” Yakubu stated.
He promised to return to the state next week to meet the stakeholders during which the governorship candidates would sign a peace accord.