National leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, yesterday told a cheering crowd of supporters in Ibadan that the forthcoming general election was not an ordinary election but a liberation struggle.
The former governor of Lagos State was addressing a mammoth crowd of party faithful and elated residents who trooped out to witness the campaign flag-off of the party’s governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi and other candidates in the April general elections at the historic Mapo Hall, Ibadan yesterday.
Tinubu said it has taken the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government 12 years to confront the challenges facing the nation, adding that their failure has shown that they lack the simple idea of how to fix the society.
He urged voters in the state to end years of systemic failure, hunger, poor education, poor healthcare delivery, bad roads, corruption and unemployment by voting for the ACN candidates in the election. He specifically asked the youths to see the election as a decision for either a bleak or bright future as their votes would help determine the direction the country will go in coming years.
“Light has come to you in Oyo State. To our youths, this is the election of freedom. This is the election that will determine your future. This is the time you will determine how your future will look like. It is a liberation struggle. Our men, women and youths, this is the time to vote out government of lies. This is the time to end unfulfilled promises. They can’t rig this election. We will defend our votes,” he charged the crowd.
He urged them to vote for Ajimobi, whom he described as a man with rich history of greatness and ability to bring prosperity to the state.
Speaking on the same podium where President Goodluck Jonathan used to declare that the South-West was too important to be left in the hands of rascals three weeks ago, Tinubu decried Jonathan’s description of those leading the people in the region and urged voters to show the PDP that the Yoruba are cultured and well-bred by voting against them.
Waxing historical, the ACN leader recalled that the Yoruba are foremost in modern civilization even as they built on their cherished culture of high moral standards, integrity and lead in many modern professions in Nigeria.
According to Tinubu, one way to show that South West leaders are not rascals is to vote against them in the April elections.
His words: “We want to replicate the development in Lagos here in Oyo State. Ajimobi has history of greatness. Here at Oke Mapo, good policies were promised and delivered by our leaders such as Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Every good political development started from Oyo State. Policies such as free education, freedom and the like. We must show them that we are not rascals through our votes. By his comments, he meant that we are uncultured. But civilization started here since 1864.”
In his own remark, Lagos State governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) congratulated the people of Oyo State for allowing the ACN to thrive as well as having a consummate politician and a thorough bred management expert as the party’s flag-bearer.
Highlighting the importance of the state, Fashola said Awolowo started fixing Nigeria from Ibadan, stressing that freedom and redemption of the country started from the city. He lamented that the stage was however taken by politicians who have no idea how to address the problems of the people.
He said the ACN was addressing security challenges, hunger, unemployment and is providing social amenities that will give citizens a decent life. He therefore urged voters to sweep away the PDP in the election and be happy to enthrone a people-focused government headed by Senator Ajimobi.
“You have experienced the PDP for eight years – eight years of dry taps, unemployment, corruption, hunger, bad roads, insecurity etc. I thank you for trooping out to register. I am aware up to 2.5 million voters registered. If you want to put an end to dry taps, collapsed health and education system, insecurity, vote for ACN”, he said.
Earlier, the state chairman of the party, Chief Akin Oke, in his welcome address, expressed readiness of the party to take over from the PDP, saying voters in the state have constantly expressed their determination to make a positive change possible.
Osun State governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, criticized the PDP for not running a transparent government. He urged residents not to look back and join the train of change moving across the region.
Also at the rally were the National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande; National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; leader of the party in Oyo State, Alhaji Lam Adesina and Ogun State governorship candidate, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.