From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
Dr Adewole Adebayo, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate has urged the people of
Ekiti State to vote wisely in the Saturday governorship election, saying a prosperous Ekiti is guaranteed if they elect Chief Segun Oni, the party’s governorship candidate as their governor in the coming poll.
Adebayo who said Oni proved himself as a competent governor during his reign in the state between 2007 and 2010, advised electorate not to vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the Saturday contest and in the 2023 general elections.
He said all manners of government had come after Oni’s government that was terminated in 2010, but described the SDP candidate as different and enigmatic in the delivery of democracy dividends to the people.
Adebayo and other top leaders of the party, including its National Chairman, Alhaji Shehu Musa Garba, said this in Ado Ekiti, on Thursday during the SDP mega rally to mobilise support for Oni.
Adebayo said: ” We must change this All Progressives Congress by voting them out in 2022 and 2023 general elections. They have nothing to offer. They are bundle of liars and looters. Nigeria has failed under them.
“By next year, we must have a rethink in this country. With Oni as a governor, pension and salary will be paid as and when due. Oni is a man of character, competence and honesty.
“Don’t vote for you to cook soup, but vote and become prosperous. In 1993 when MKO Abiola was campaigning for President, where the Old Ondo State stood was where the whole country stood. The SDP had made history as the first party to win a free, fair and credible.
“If you vote for Oni, he will beautify Ekiti and take Ekiti to the centre of development. Your PVC is your power, use it to get rid of APC and PDP. Your money is not in the Central Bank of Nigeria, but in the pockets of both the APC and PDP. But they have stolen everything . Though, they have not stolen your power to send them packing” .
The Former Minister of Youth, Solomon Dalung, in his submission, said Ekiti will pioneer the reclamation of Nigeria from those he described as locusts and pillagers.
“APC is very desperate about this election, but their desperation will do us victory. Let us be vigilant , being vigilant means you won’t allow them to steal our votes. Mobilise en masse and stamp out bad government from Ekiti”.
Also speaking, the National Chairman of SDP, Alhaji Shehu Musa Garba, said it would be a great loss for Ekiti not to vote for Oni in the coming election.
“He is humble and ultimately very competent. Is a man of peace, unity and love. He had served you and you know him to be truthful and honest. I am assuring you that you won’t regret if you decide to reelect him”, he stated.
Addressing the crowd, Oni promised to banish poverty by paying workers’ pension, gratuity, deductions, saying his presence in the race has become a threat to APC.
The former governor added that the APC was so enraged to the point of spewing lies around that he had withdrawn from the race and by preventing many of their leaders from entering Ekiti to campaign for him.
“You all know that I have the capacity to banish poverty, unemployment, kidnapping by deploying relevant technology and expertise to fight crime and economic deprivation”.
SDP bigwigs at the occasion include : former Minister of Youth and Sport, Mr Solomon Dalung, former Minister Olu Agunloye, former Chief of Staff, Dipo Anisulowo, former Nigerian Ambassador to Canada, Dare Bejide, Adamawa SDP governorship candidate, Dr Umar Ardo, among others.