The Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has set its sights on a bigger feat in 2027, pledging to beat its 2023 presidential election record, the highest winning margin in the country, and delivering an even more resounding victory for President Bola Tinubu.
BusinessDay reports that the Vice-President Kashim Shettima will lead APC governors, ministers, members of the National Assembly, national party leaders and other political bigwigs to Akure on Wednesday for the party’s presidential campaign rally.
Victor Olabimtan, the Director-General of the Ondo State APC 2027 Presidential Campaign Council, who disclosed this on Tuesday at a press conference at the NUJ Press Centre, Akure, assured the party’s national leadership of the state’s readiness to host a successful rally.
According to him, the rally, scheduled for 9am at the Akure Township Stadium, is expected to attract party leaders, elected representatives, stakeholders and members from the 18 local government areas.
Olabimtan said the party was determined to improve significantly on its previous electoral performance, insisting that its 2023 achievement had set a benchmark it was committed to surpassing.
“This is an achievement we are proud of, but we are not resting on our oars. We are determined to surpass that record in the 2027 general elections,” he said.
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He stressed that achieving the ambition would require more than political enthusiasm, identifying unity of purpose, effective coordination, discipline, strategic communication and the active participation of every party member as critical to victory.
He urged party leaders, stakeholders and members to place collective interests above personal ambitions and aspirations.
The campaign council director-general said the party had activated its mobilisation machinery across the 18 local government areas under the leadership of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
He said party leaders, elected representatives, political appointees, stakeholders, ward and local government coordinators, youth and women leaders, as well as other critical structures, had been engaged to ensure an impressive turnout at Wednesday’s rally.
Expressing confidence in the preparations, Olabimtan said the enthusiasm and commitment of party members would be reflected in a strong demonstration of the APC’s organisational capacity.
He said the rally would provide the people of Ondo State an opportunity to demonstrate solidarity with President Tinubu, reaffirm confidence in his leadership and identify with the Renewed Hope vision of his administration.
Highlighting the benefits of the Federal Government’s policies and development interventions to the state, Olabimtan acknowledged that some of the economic reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration had brought temporary difficulties for citizens.
He, however, maintained that difficult decisions were necessary to address longstanding structural challenges, reposition the economy, strengthen public finances and encourage investment.
On federal representation, he described the presence of three substantive ministers from Ondo State in the Federal Executive Council as a significant milestone in the state’s political history.
He named Taiwo Oyedele, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy; Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Interior; and Ayodele Olawande Wisdom, Minister of Youth Development.
According to him, their appointments had strengthened the state’s representation in national policy formulation and implementation while creating more opportunities to benefit from Federal Government programmes and initiatives.
On infrastructure, Olabimtan described the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as a landmark project which, by passing through Ondo’s coastal communities, would improve connectivity, open up economic opportunities and stimulate commerce, tourism, agriculture and other productive activities.
He also expressed optimism over the renewed attention to the Olokola Deep Seaport project, saying its eventual realisation would unlock the maritime and industrial potential of the state’s coastal communities, attract investment and create employment.
Other major interventions, he said, included the ongoing expansion and reconstruction of the Ore-Ondo-Akure Road and the dualisation of the Ilesha-Akure-Owo-Benin Road.
He said the projects were expected to improve transportation, facilitate the movement of people and goods and strengthen economic activities within and beyond the state.
In education and healthcare, Olabimtan described the approval and commencement of the FUTA Teaching Hospital as another major milestone.
He said the project would improve access to quality healthcare, strengthen medical training, research and professional development, while creating employment opportunities and attracting healthcare-related investments.
He also identified the proposed Aviation College as a project that would expand access to specialised technical education, skills acquisition and human capital development when realised.
Olabimtan further acknowledged Federal Government interventions in student financing, social investment and other critical sectors, saying they were creating opportunities for more Nigerians, particularly young people, to participate meaningfully in national development.
He called for sustained collaboration between the state and Federal Government to consolidate gains in infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture, employment generation and economic development.
The APC chieftain commended Governor Aiyedatiwa for his leadership and efforts to strengthen the party through internal cohesion, grassroots engagement and effective coordination.
He said ongoing ward meetings, grassroots engagements and preparations for local government and senatorial meetings were part of a deliberate strategy to consolidate party structures and keep members united, motivated and mobilised.
“As Director-General of the Ondo State Presidential Campaign Council, I wish to assure the Governor and the entire APC family that we will continue to work closely with all stakeholders to achieve our common objective,” he said.
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