With the November 16 governorship election in Ondo State approaching, Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has called on the Ebira community in Ondo to support the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to continue the positive trajectory established by the APC government in the state.
Governor Ododo, who serves as the deputy chairman of the election management and strategy committee for the Ondo State Governorship Election Campaign Council, made this appeal during a rally at the Mobil Roundabout in Owo on Saturday, which drew a large crowd.
He referred to Ondo as a second home for the Ebira people and urged them to replicate the success achieved in the 2020 governorship election, where the APC secured a significant victory in the state.
In a statement from his Special Adviser on Media, Ismaila Isah, Governor Ododo expressed gratitude for the support the APC received in the last election. He remarked: “I have come to thank you for the support you gave the APC in the last governorship election in Ondo state.
“I am aware that we have a large population of our people in Owo, Ifo, and Ose local government areas, as well as other parts of Ondo state, and I want you to take our message to all of them. Come November 16, 2024, I urge you to vote for the APC and Lucky Aiyedatiwa as the Governor of Ondo State,” he added.
The Governor reassured the people of Ondo State that the APC and its candidate, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, would deliver essential dividends of democracy, focusing on improving infrastructure, education, healthcare, water and sanitation, agricultural development, and enhancing security across communities in the state.
He praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the federal government’s commitment to revitalizing the Ajaokuta steel complex, which is vital to Kogi State, and reaffirmed the APC’s dedication at all levels to recognize and reward the confidence placed in the party by the people.
Governor Ododo characterized Governor Aiyedatiwa as a dependable leader capable of continuing the progress made in Ondo State under the late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, who passed away in December 2023.
“We know Governor Aiyedatiwa; he has been tested and can be trusted. We want continuity and consolidation, and he has started very well. I want to let you know that the Ebira, Igala, and Okun communities in Ondo State are hundred percent behind you. They will all come out en masse on November 16 to vote for you,” Governor Ododo assured.
In response, Governor Aiyedatiwa underscored the importance of unity and peaceful coexistence among the diverse ethnic groups in Ondo State, promising to create more opportunities for non-indigenous communities if elected.
Abdullahi Bello, the chairman of the APC in Kogi State, who accompanied Governor Ododo, commended the solidarity and collaboration between Kogi indigenes and the people of Ondo State, expressing confidence that this understanding would translate into substantial support for the APC and Governor Aiyedatiwa in the upcoming election.
Earlier, during a courtesy visit to the Ohinoyi of Anebira in Owo, His Royal Highness Adayi Isa Ahmed expressed his delight in hosting the Kogi State Governor and assured that the Ebira community in Owo would vote for the APC candidate, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa. He commended Governor Aiyedatiwa for appointing five members of the Ebira community to key positions within his administration and promised that the community would reciprocate by mobilizing even greater support than in the last election.
The APC rally in Owo witnessed attendance from members of the Ebira community across various localities, including Utose, Omolonge, Utelu, Agopanu, and others from six local government areas in Ondo North Senatorial District and beyond.
