….2023: Adetimehin, Ipinsagba, BTO, Adefarati, Others Storm Akoko As Segun Abraham Hosts Solidarity Rally For Tinubu, Shettima.
…..Insist that Obi’s Endorsement is not threat to Tinubu’s victory.
Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) across the four (4) local government areas of Akoko in Ondo state have converged in Ikare to demonstrate their support for the candidacy of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima in the 2023 presidential election.
The supporters and members of APC, who converged at the instance of a former Governorship aspirant in the state, Olusegun Abraham took to the streets in the early hours of Monday, chanting different solidarity songs in support of the party. They were also seen carrying different banners in support of the former Lagos State Governor.
Speaking during the rally, the convener, Abraham appreciated the crowd for coming out to show solidarity with the APC presidential candidate, his vice and other candidates of the party in Akoko.
According to him: “I am very impressed to see the number of persons gathered here today to put up the mass march and rally for the Presidential candidate of our party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“This can only mean one thing: the four local governments in Akoko will deliver for Asiwaju and APC.
“Tinubu has shown in the past that he rewards support and loyalty. He will prioritise the wishes and aspirations of indigenes and residents of Akoko,” Abraham said.
Abraham who was the runners up in the APC primary that produced Oluwarotimi Akeredolu as governor said “when it comes to electoral value, voting, Obasanjo has failed Nigerians woefully. Obasanjo even lost in his own unit in 1999. We don’t respect him when it come to electoral value. He is not the one that will tell us who to vote for in the coming general election. I know that people will not even vote for Obi in his own house or unit.”
Also speaking during the rally, Chairman of APC in Ondo state, Ade Adetimehin hailed Abraham for standing by candidates of the party and providing logistics cover for the rally.
Adetimehin also noted that Ondo state is 100 percent APC. He expressed confidence that residents and indigenes of Akoko would deliver thier votes for the APC from top to bottom with the large turnout at the rally.
Meanwhile, the leaders of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State today kicked against the endorsement Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi by former President Olusegun Obasanjo as his preferred candidate for February 25 presidential election.
The leaders of the party including the State Chairman, Engr Ade Adetimehin, former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Taofiq Olawale Abdulsalam and former governorship aspirant of the APC, Dr Segun Abraham said the endorsement of Obasanjo was against the position of the Southwest geo-political zone that it should produce the successor of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Speaking at the rally to drum support for the Presidential candidate of APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Ikare Akoko, Adetimehin said since the leader of Yoruba, Chief Reuben Fasoranti had endorsed Tinubu and other endorsement pale into insignificant.
Adetimehin said among other candidates seeking to succeed Buhari as president, Tinubu is the most qualified and competent having served as governor, Senator and the National leader of the ruling APC.
Ade Adetimehin, who spoke on the chances of Tinubu said Obasanjo is not a threat to victory of the APC Candidate, saying “we ask for votes for Tinubu because of his credibility, capacity, capability and action for the development of Nigeria.
His words “The chances of Tinubu in Yoruba land is paramount, he has no rival, he is our leader in Yoruba land. He has the credibility and believes so much in Yoruba, he has never failed any election in Yoruba land. You could recollect that he was the governor of Lagos state for eight years and he did well. He know how to win election, he know how to do politicking.
“In 1999, Obasanjo contested election and he lost at his own polling unit, state and the same thing happened when he recontested before he rigged the election. So this time around, the Yoruba people are wiser, we know who can lead us, protect and direct us. You can check the records, Tinubu cut across all the ethnic barriers. He is a man that everybody loves. Baba Fasoranti has pedigree compare to Obasanjo. Fasoranti has never lost credibility like Baba Obasanjo. Obasanjo is not the one leading us in Yoruba land, Pa Fasoranti is the one leading Afenifere. So Chief Obasanjo cannot speak for us in Yoruba land.”
Also, forme Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Abdulsalam said the endorsement of Obi by Obasanjo was because he was envious of the record of Tinubu in Yoruba land.
His words “I am a Yoruba man, and Yoruba in the Southwest know Obasanjo, he never like someone that will out do him, he doesn’t like talented people and he will never support people with talent. He despised Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief MKO Abiola and others. We know that Obasanjo can never support Tinubu, he doesn’t want anybody from Yoruba land to become president and we are not surprise about that.”
Abdulsalam said “Tinubu has built talented people across the state and if we have somebody like that I think Nigerians need to support him. When we compare him with other candidates, he is the best and we believe that he can do better.”
On his part, the Candidate of the party for House of Representatives seat in Akoko South East/South West Federal Constituency, Gboyega Adefarati appreciated the crowd for coming out en masse to support the APC, saying the party will not disappoint the country.
Others at the rally includes: Fesojaye Hassan who represented Senator Ajayi Borofice; Ifedayo Abegunde, former Ondo state SSG; Simisola Ayoade; Segun Adagunodo; Saliu Mumuni, Akoko North East APC Chairman; Adebisi Abraham; Barrister R.O kazeem who represented Pastor jide Ipinsagba, the Senatorial candidate APC in Ondo North; Oluwatoyin Victor Japhet, House of Assembly Candidate in Akoko North East; Rt Hon Abdulsalam Taokeef Olawale, former Speaker, Ondo state House of Assembly; Akadiri Atinuke who represented Rep. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; Oyelade H. Olawale, a student leader among others.
