BUHARI, TINUBU, OSHIOMHOLE STORM EKITI FOR FAYEMI

ABIODUN NEJO

President Muhammadu Buhari, the All Progressives (APC) National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, National chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and governors on the platform of the party were, on Tuesday, received in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, by a tumultuous crowd of party supporters.

Ministers, national, zonal and state leaders of the party were also on hand to receive the President at Oluyemi Kayode Stadium, Ado Ekiti, venue of the grand finale of the campaign of the APC governorship candidate for Saturday’s election in Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

Buhari, in his speech on the carnival-like occasion, advised Ekiti voters not to waste their votes, but vote for APC so that the state could benefit from the progressive government being offered by governors on the platform of the party in their respective states.

The President advised Ekiti voters to embrace Fayemi, advising that they should not allow themselves to be insulted by the stomach infrastructure policy of the present government in the state.

Buhari also dispelled the insinuation by his detractors that he had been protecting the killer herdsmen owing to his ethnic affinity with Fulani, saying he has not shied away from his responsibility to provide security for every Nigerian, regardless of race and religion.

He said that his government had been working assiduously to stop the rampaging herdsmen and that nothing will be spared to achieve the onerous task of uniting Nigeria and make the citizens enjoy safety.

On the killings across the country, which have been traced to herdsmen, Buhari said: “Some are displaying mischievous attitudes by linking me to killer herdsmen just because I am a Fulani man. This is a cheap blackmail that was far from the truth”, he said.

According to him, despite the fact that Ekiti belongs to the opposition party, the present APC-led Federal government had not denied the state of any federal benefit.

He said: “I want you to align Ekiti with the change agenda of our government. Since I came on board, I have initiated 13 federal road projects in Ekiti. We have completed the failed portions of the Ifaki-Ikole-Omuo road, Ifaki-Ido Road, Efon-Iwaraja Road, while Ado-Ifaki Road has been re-awarded.

“The APC government had also awarded the construction of a federal Secretariat in Ekiti State. We have also extended the National Housing Scheme to Ekiti for the state not to be neglected in the scheme of things.

“Under my government, Ekiti has enjoyed unprecedented federal appointments while people have also benefited from N-Power and intervention funds like bailouts funds despite belonging to opposition.

“So, don’t allow yourselves to be insulted by stomach infrastructure, vote APC on Saturday so that you can grow your own better infrastructures.

“Ekiti people must do the right thing by voting rightly, so that you can reclaim your land and restore you values.

“I hereby present to you Dr. Fayemi, .a former Minister of Mines and Steel Development. As a minister, Dr Fayemi recorded a lot of laudable achievements. So, don’t waste your votes. Vote APC, vote Fayemi,” Buhari stated.

Fayemi, in his brief comment, said candidates of 15 political parties have endorsed him for the Saturday’s contest based on his track records.

He said: “Saturday’s election will be credible. It will be fair, transparent and credible. Nobody will rig because we are contesting based on our track records, which the people said were excellent.

“My concern in this election is to chase away looters and those pauperizing our people . President Buhari has instructed me to go back and bring transformation back to Ekiti and the task shall be achieved.”

The Senator representing Ekiti Central, Mrs. Fatima Raji Rasaki, a serving member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Olamide Oni, and other PDP bigwigs also joined the ruling APC.

Senator Mrs. Fatima Raji Rasaki, Hon Olamide Oni, and several other PDP bigwigs formally defected to the APC during the mega rally..

This was as Tinubu and Oshimhole urged Ekiti electorate to vote Fayemi to bail the state out of poverty allegedly being experienced under Governor Ayodele Fayose’s government.

Tinubu, who said the massive looting of the treasury brought about the recession that hit the economy under Buhari, urged the people not to be intimidated by the PDP, saying they should come out on the day of election and vote for APC.

He said: “A vote for Fayemi is a vote for development and the future of Ekiti. He served as a Minister and President didn’t remove him. He was not sacked, but he only came to Ekiti to help you.

“On Saturday, you are protected. Don’t be intimidated by anybody. This is not like 2014. This time, it is going to be one man, one vote, because Governor Fayose has been making noise that the election has been rigged. APC is a decent party, it won’t rig election the way they did,” Tinubu said.

On his part, Oshiomhole accused Fayose of embezzling the N20 billion bailout funds given to the State by President Buhari to pay workers.  He said Fayemi did excellently well as a governor of Ekiti State by bringing finesse to governance, saying time has come for him to reap the fruits of his labour.

The former Edo State Governor, added that it was disheartening for Governor Fayose to have allegedly pauperized the people, urging the electorate to appropriate their votes wisely for them to get rid of what he referred to as “an irresponsible government.”

“Fayemi has promised that he will pay the arrears of salaries if elected,” the new national chairman of APC continued. “He won’t sack anybody, because he is different from Fayose who got N20 billion bailout and pocketed it, rather than paying salaries.”

Among governors at the rally are Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi); Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Raufu Aregbesola (Osun), Bindow Jibrilla (Adamawa), Kashim Shetima (Borno), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara), Yahaya Bello (Kogi) and Tanko Almakura (Nassarawa).

Others dignitaries include: Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; Ministers of Labour, Chief Chris Ngige; Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola; Senior Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs, Abike Dabiri; former Governors Niyi Adebayo; Segun Osoba; Segun Oni; Chief Bisi Akande; and Edo Deputy Governor, and Hon. Philip Shuaib.