President Bola Tinubu said on Thursday that his opponents in the January 16 presidential election lacked the requisite political and leadership skills that could match his credentials.
Tinubu, who said that his administration, since assumption of office, had delivered on his 2023 electoral promises, which had brought about immense development in the country, said his second-term bid was to consolidate his first-term achievements.
The President, represented by the Vice President Kashim Shettima, spoke in Ado Ekiti on Thursday during a presidential rally organised by the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council held at the Ekiti Parapo Pavilion, in Ado Ekiti.
He appealed to Ekiti State voters to give him not less than 90 per cent of the total votes cast in the forthcoming presidential election to retain his seat and develop the country.
Tinubu said he had fulfilled some of the promises he made to the Ekiti people before the last presidential election in terms of appointments and execution of developmental projects.
He expressed excitement about the way Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji had been able to unite all the opposition figures in the state after the June 20 governorship election, particularly bringing political opponents on the same page to rally support for him ahead of 2027.
He said, “Let me speak briefly about those who are contesting against us. Let us analyse Adamawa State, for instance: we have had five governors since 1999 in that state, and not a single one is standing with Alhaji Abubakar Atiku (the African Democratic Congress candidate).
“Is Governor Umaru Fintiri with him? No. Are former Governors Boni Haruna, Bala Ngilari, Murtala Nyako and Bindow Jibrilla with him? No. None of them is standing with him. All these political giants are standing with President Tinubu.
“If you can’t control your own state, if you are not relevant in your state, how can you now be relevant elsewhere?
“Politics is a game of numbers. What will Atiku, who is not relevant at home, tell the people of Osun, Ogun, Kaduna, Lagos, Rivers and others?”
On his achievements in Ekiti State in the last three years, Tinubu said he had completed the construction of Ado-Ikere-Akure road, while contracts had been awarded for the reconstruction of Ado-Ijan-Iluomoba-Ikare road and Ado-Aramoko-Ita Ore road.
“Besides road construction, we have also established a federal University at Iyin Ekiti to train our youths and employ them.
“Students of Ekiti State University and Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology are enjoying the students’ loan established by our administration,” he said.
The President stated that another term for him would mean “another chance to do more and make Nigeria a great nation.”
The APC National Chairman, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, called on the people of Ekiti State and Nigerians at large to give Tinubu and all candidates of the APC overwhelming electoral support in the elections.
He said the President’s performance, reform initiatives and commitment to national development earned him another term in office.
He expressed delight at the massive turnout and enthusiastic reception accorded to the party’s leadership and campaign team, describing the crowd as a strong demonstration of the people’s confidence in the APC and their support for the Renewed Hope Agenda.
He said the rally provided an opportunity to present the party’s candidates, from Tinubu to those contesting seats in the National Assembly and the state House of Assembly, while reaffirming the APC’s determination to sustain its leadership and deliver greater prosperity to Nigerians.
Yilwatda described Tinubu as both a performer and a reformer, noting that the administration had embarked on far-reaching reforms aimed at repositioning the Nigerian economy, strengthening public institutions and creating opportunities for citizens and businesses.
He particularly highlighted the administration’s tax reforms, explaining that the new framework was designed to protect low-income earners and small businesses from unnecessary tax burdens while allowing them to retain more resources for personal and business development.
