The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima @officialSKSM, has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu @officialABAT has remained fully faithful to his promises to rebuild Nigeria through bold and necessary economic reforms.
This comes just as the people of Ekiti State have declared that 90 per cent of the total registered voters in the state will be delivered for the president in the forthcoming presidential election.
Also, opposition figures in the state, including candidates of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last governorship election, declared their support for the President, citing the positive impact of the Federal Government’s interventions in Ekiti.
Senator Shettima, who spoke on Thursday in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, during Presidential Campaign Rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC), acknowledged the sacrifices made by the citizens, saying the people were already reaping the benefits of the administration’s tough decisions.
He noted that while the commitments are currently being fulfilled, the Tinubu administration has returned to account for the work already done as well as the tasks ahead.
“We know the sacrifices you have made, and we are beginning to reap the benefits of those difficult decisions. His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has remained faithful to the commitments we made to you.
“We have begun to fulfil those commitments, and we have returned to account for the work already done and the tasks that remain. We have come to seek the renewal of your mandate, to continue the partnership we began and to finish the work you entrusted to us,” he declared.
The Vice President appealed to the people of Ekiti to replicate the mass support they gave to the President in the 2023 presidential poll, assuring them that the administration’s commitment to their welfare “extends to healthcare and electricity, two necessities upon which the dignity of everyday life depends.”
He cited the conversion of the former State Specialist Hospital in Ikole-Ekiti into a Federal Medical Centre to complement the Federal Teaching Hospital in Ido-Ekiti as part of efforts by the Tinubu administration to revamp healthcare.
On electricity, VP Shettima said, “We have also turned our attention to your electricity needs. Equipment has arrived for the substations at Ilupeju and Ijesa-Isu, alongside ongoing work on the Ikere switching station.
“We have approved additional electricity distribution lines and transferred regulatory authority over your intrastate electricity market to Ekiti State. We understand what these interventions mean to you.”
The Vice President lauded the transformation of Ekiti State into an electoral powerhouse, stating that the state “has become a litmus test for elections in Nigeria.
“You lead the nation in speaking with a voice that deserves respect and reflection. We have returned to acknowledge that voice and thank you for your warmth,” he added, justifying his observation with the recent re-election of Governor Biodun Oyebanji under the APC platform.
Senator Shettima delved into efforts by the Tinubu administration to build roads in the state, noting that work has proceeded on the Akure–Ikere–Ado-Ekiti road, while reconstruction has begun on the Itawure–Aramoko–Ado-Ekiti road.
“Other federal road interventions, from Aramoko and Ijero to Ifaki, Oye, Ikole and Omuo, are at different stages. Our duty is to see the work through. Every unfinished road is a responsibility awaiting fulfilment,” added.
On education, the Vice-President stated that the Federal University of Technology and Environmental Sciences was established in Iyin-Ekiti, while students at Ekiti State University and Bamidele Olumilua University received education loans through NELFUND.
Also recalling the new ICT Experience Centre commissioned at Ekiti State University through TETFund support, the VP said the obligation of the Tinubu administration “is to make sure that poverty does not shut the classroom door against any child,” especially in Ekiti, the land of professors.
He listed other federal government interventions in the state, including agricultural input programmes that have brought fertilisers and planting materials within reach of participating farmers.
The Vice President restated the commitment of President Tinubu to rebuilding the nation, pointing out, however, that “the authority to continue with it rests with the Nigerian electorate.
“We seek your mandate to complete the work we have begun, fulfil the commitments we have made and carry this mission to its conclusion,” he told the Ekiti people.
Following a successful presidential mega-rally in the state, Vice President Shettima departed Ado-Ekiti with a clear and emphatic message from the people, who declared that 90 per cent of the total registered voters will be delivered for President Tinubu in the forthcoming election.
They attributed their overwhelming support to the massive infrastructure projects embarked upon by the Federal Government across the state, saying they have transformed lives and communities, creating a strong case for a second term for the Tinubu-Shettima ticket.
In a significant show of bipartisan solidarity, the governorship candidates of the PDP, APM, and SDP in the last governorship election in the state pledged their support for the President.
In their separate remarks, the opposition candidates affirmed that they would mobilise their supporters behind the All Progressives Congress to ensure the victory of President Tinubu, emphasising that their commitment went beyond party lines and was rooted in the unity and continued progress of Ekiti State.
*As Ekiti declares 90% votes for president at APC presidential campaign rally in Ado-Ekiti
On his part, Governor Oyebanji @biodunaoyebanji described the decision of opposition figures in the state to declare support for President Tinubu as clear evidence of the positive impact of the Federal Government’s interventions in Ekiti.
He said the people of Ekiti would reciprocate the President’s efforts by delivering an overwhelming mandate in the next general election.
“We will use our votes to say thank you to a President who has given approval for so many federal roads and other critical projects in Ekiti State. The people of Ekiti will return the President with no less than 90 per cent of registered voters,” he declared.
Also speaking at the event, APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda @nentawe1, said President Tinubu’s achievements deserved to be rewarded with a second term.
He noted that the administration had eased the burden on small business owners who previously struggled under the weight of unaffordable taxes.
“Unlike in the past, when small business owners were being strangled by taxes they could not afford, the coming of President Tinubu has checked that excess. The NELFUND student loan scheme, the construction of roads, the establishment and upgrading of federal institutions, and other interventions are clear manifestations of the President’s goodwill and his determination to improve the lives of Nigerians,” Yilwatda said.
Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abdulaziz Yari @SenatorAAYari, urged the people of Ekiti to mobilise full support for the President’s re-election.
“President Bola Tinubu has promised to bring even greater development to Ekiti State if given the opportunity to serve a second term. The people of the South-West must demonstrate their love and support by voting massively for him. Interestingly, many in the North already regard President Tinubu as one of their own, more than a southerner. The South-West must not be left behind in showing appreciation,” Yari stated.
Former APC National Chairman and Deputy Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Council in charge of mobilisation, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, highlighted the student loan scheme as one of the administration’s landmark achievements, describing it as part of the President’s vision of aligning Nigeria with the global knowledge economy.
“President Tinubu has been able to address some of the challenges that have long bedevilled the country. These include the recruitment of more personnel into the Armed Forces, the stabilisation of the foreign exchange market, and the steady growth of the nation’s economy. A vote for President Bola Tinubu means continuity and prosperity for Nigerian youths, the economy, and the country as a whole,” Oshiomhole said.
In separate remarks, candidates of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last Ekiti State governorship election declared that they would mobilise support for the All Progressives Congress to ensure the victory of President Tinubu.
They stressed that their commitment transcended party lines and was rooted in the desire for the unity and continued development of Ekiti State.
The mega rally was attended by political leaders in the state and their supporters, serving and former Senators as well as Members of the House of Representatives and the APC Presidential Campaign Council.
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