President Bola Tinubu and the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress presented the party’s official flag to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the APC’s candidate in Ondo State, ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
The presentation took place at the APC mega rally held at MKO Abiola Democracy Park in Akure, with hundreds of supporters, party leaders, and chieftains in attendance.
Addressing the crowd, President Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, urged Ondo residents to vote en masse for Aiyedatiwa’s re-election, underscoring his value to the state’s governance.
“In just a few days, you will have your chance to show him the love you have for the governance of Lucky Aiyedatiwa. So I urge you to come out en masse and cast your vote for the APC. Your vote is your voice,” Tinubu said. He added that renowned leaders from the state, like Adekunle Ajasin, Rotimi Akeredolu, and Adebayo Adefarati, would not have supported any “reactionary elements” over the APC if they were alive.
The Senate Majority Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, echoed these sentiments, asserting that the legacy of the state’s past leaders reflects the values of the APC’s progressive ideology in the South West. “If former Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, Baba Adekunle Ajasin and Baba Adebayo Adefarati were to be alive today and we are going to hold this election, which party would they have asked you to vote for?” Bamidele asked. He implored the people of Ondo to honor the legacy of these leaders by voting APC.
He also noted the importance of continuity, stating, “Remember that we have a new Lagos today because of the continuity in government. Never again should you allow people who will plunder the economy and treasury of this state once they take over.”
After presenting the flag to Aiyedatiwa, APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje rallied support for the governor, calling him “the right man for the job.” He emphasized the need for continuity in governance, saying, “By voting for him, you are voting for continuity. Continuity in terms of progressive governance, provision of infrastructure, and social services to the people of Ondo State.”
He urged Ondo voters to aim for a clean sweep victory, adding, “By Saturday, you will all come out and give us 18 over 18 votes. By voting for him, you are voting for unity and political uniformity in the South West geopolitical zone.”
Chairman of the Ondo APC Campaign Planning Committee and Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, also addressed the crowd, calling for a peaceful election. He advised voters to avoid conflict and simply stamp their thumbs next to the APC’s “broom” logo on the ballot paper. “When you troop out on Saturday, don’t fight anybody. Just stamp your thumb wherever you see the broom emblem on the ballot,” Sanwo-Olu instructed. “We have boasted that we will defeat them outrightly.”
Adding to the call for an APC victory, Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo expressed confidence in a complete win for Aiyedatiwa, declaring that “Operation One Direct” would ensure APC’s dominance across all 18 local governments. “We are not ready to do 16-2 or 15-3. It has to be 18-0 for Aiyedatiwa because we are all ‘Lucky,’” he stated. “Nobody in the history of Ondo State has ever scored 18-0. But Lucky Aiyedatiwa will deliver 18-0.”
As the rally concluded, APC leaders expressed optimism that Ondo voters would deliver a sweeping victory, securing Aiyedatiwa’s place for another term.
