The National leadership of the All Progressives Congress on Saturday said the Peoples Democratic Party and President Goodluck Jonathan were afraid of defeat for rooting for the postponement of the February 14 election.
The APC leaders spoke in Ado Ekiti while addressing the mammoth crowd that thronged the 12,000 capacity Ekiti Parapo Pavilion for the party’s presidentially.
As reported by Saturday PUNCH, the candidate of the Labour Party in the last governorship election, Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele, led his supporters to the rally, which signaled his imminent return to the party.
Former Speaker of the State House of Assembly and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Sola Ajigbolamu, led other PDP top ranking members to defect to the APC.
They were received by the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.
Other dignitaries at the campaign include former Interim National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande; former Ekiti Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and his wife, Bisi; Deputy National Chairman (South) of the party, Chief Segun
Oni; former Ekiti Deputy Governor, Prof Modupe Adelabu; Deputy Director General Buhari/Osinbajo Campaign Organisation, Senator Olorumbe Mamora and Osun state Governor Rauf Aregbesola.
Despite the tension in recent weeks in the state, the atmosphere in and arround the square was peaceful.
The National leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accused the Jonathan-led Federal Government of being bereft of ideas for failing to develop the nation after ruling the nation for 16 years.
He described the Buhari/Osinbajo as a revolutionary ticket that would stamp out poverty, insecurity and unemployment in Nigeria.
Addressing the party’s supporters and admirers, the APC Presidential candidate, Major Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) who was with his Deputy, Prof Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), urged Nigerians to collect their Permanent Voter Cards to vote out Jonathan in the election.
He promised to bring the desirable change if voted.
Buhari campaigned amid water-tight security mounted by combined team of soldiers, police, Department of State Security, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Immigration Service as well as prison officials.
The Commissioner of Police, Taiwo Lakanu, led the police team to the rally.
His campaign train arrived Ado Ekiti at 2.pm, but the 12,000 seat State Pavillion was already filled to capacity before noon by huge crowd of supporters singing party slogans.
Buhari said, “My programme revolves around Insecurity, Corruption and unemployment. We have a roadmap that would fight these scourges to a standstill, if elected.
“What you can do to help us is to collect your permanent voter cards and vote during the election. You should not only vote, you must ensure that your votes count,” Buhari advised.
Buhari said the best way to save Nigeria was to send the PDP packing during the February 14 election.
“We will ensure that schools are built and quality teachers are employed to teach out students because they are the future of this great nation.
“We are not going to run a presidency that will be detached from the grassroots . We are going to encourage large scale farming to help the youths, who constitute 60 percent of the population in getting gainful employment.
“Nigeria is now sitting on a keg of gunpowder and we have to ensure that the APC wins the election at the centre and to the state level,” Buhari added.
Osibajo said the PDP was scheming for postponement of the election because it was afraid of defeat in the election.
