The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and the former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, on Monday stormed Ekiti State to woo labour leaders and N’digbo living in the State to vote for the candidate of the party,
Dr. Kayode Fayemi, in the July 14 governorship election.
Oshiomhole and Kalu, harped on the need for Fayemi to return to the Government House so as to consolidate on his landmark achievements in Ekiti state between 2010 and 2014 when he serves as the governor of the State.
While Oshiomhole led the team to canvass votes among the labour leaders, led by the former Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Ekiti State chapter, Comrade Ayodeji Aluko, Kalu led the delegation that met with members of Ohanaeze Ndigbo at a separate
meeting.
Present at the parley with Ndigbo were Governors Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State and Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State.
Oshiomhole, former National President of the NLC, said the APC will win the election not by intimidation but based on past records of Fayemi’s government in the state.
The former Edo State governor added that he has been told how the Peoples Democratic Party had been intimidating the people over the election, saying he has come to give assurances to workers that Fayemi won’t sack them.
He said: “Our task as labour leaders is not to agonize but to have the will to fight.
“I have not come to lament that Fayose has not paid workers.
“I have come to give guarantee to the workers of Ekiti that their welfare will be priority to us.
“Fayemi knows that if he doesn’t perform, especially for workers, I will box him from Abuja.
“Don’t be afraid.
“I am behind you and I will get whatever is due for you from Dr. Fayemi if you convince your people to give him the votes.”
Kalu, while addressing the Igbos resident in Ekiti State, said Fayemi has promised to give financial supports to their businesses if elected governor, the way he did in his first term.
He urged them to discountenance the hate speeches being peddled around by the PDP labeling APC as anti-igbo and Islamic party, describing these as attempts to smear the image of the party.
Kalu said Fayemi remains the only person that can bring Ekiti State out of squalor, adding that the incumbent, Ayodele Fayose, should not be allowed to impose a person he described a “cowboy” on the people.
The former Abia State Governor added that from the look of things, the candidate of the PDP, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, does not possess the credentials and knack to to lead a complex state like Ekiti.
He said: “You have to vote for a man that is better equipped for the job.
“Don’t listen to the rumour that APC is an Islamic party.
“When President Muhammadu Buhari came, he inherited a massively looted economy.
“The PDP people were just going to the Central Bank of Nigeria to collect money on the order of the then President.
“You know what it means for the CBN to be looted and that was why we experienced the economic recession when Buhari came and today we are out of it.
“APC remains the best party for Ndigbo.
“I cannot be bribed by anybody to deceive you.
“I would rather die than to deceive you because we are one.
“President Buhari did the second Niger bridge.
“He had also awarded many road contracts in the South East.
“Did former President Olusegun Obasanjo, late Umaru Yar’Adua and Dr Goodluck Jonathan do all these?
“President Buhari might not have given us many appointments, but he had performed for the South East in terms of facilities and public utilities.
“If President Buhari is bad, I will be the first person to expose him.
“Please, vote for APC in this election.
“Make sure you spread the gospel and you will never regret it.
“He has promised to give you appointments in governments and give you other supports and I know the promise shall be fulfilled.”
Fayemi assured that he would treat the Ndigbo and the workers with dignity and honour if given the chance, promising to fulfill all pledges made to these groups if given the mandate to govern Ekiti State again.
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