Top leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have stormed Osogbo in a show of force, urging Osun voters to embrace mainstream politics and elect the party’s governorship candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, in Saturday’s governorship election.
The appeal came at the APC mega campaign rally in Osogbo, which served as the grand finale of Oyebamiji’s campaign and coincided with the final day of open campaigning permitted under the Electoral Act and INEC regulations.
The rally attracted the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who represented President Bola Tinubu; APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda; Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State; and several APC governors, including Monday Okpebholo of Edo, Usman Ododo of Kogi, Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo, Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos and Uba Sani of Kaduna.
A major highlight was the presentation of the APC’s official flag to Oyebamiji, signalling the party’s final push to take control of Osun State at the August 15 poll.
Addressing the massive gathering, Akpabio urged Osun residents to freely vote for their preferred candidates, assuring them that the Federal Government would protect democracy and prevent intimidation or harassment during the election.
He also charged Oyebamiji to hit the ground running if elected, pointing to the poor state of roads and infrastructure he encountered on his journey from Ibadan to Osogbo.
“Osun is going to have a very peaceful election. We don’t need violence; we are nonviolent,” Akpabio declared, stressing President Tinubu’s commitment to a peaceful democratic process.
APC leaders who spoke at the rally in Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo also urged Osun voters to abandon what they described as opposition politics and align the state with the Federal Government.
Kwara State Governor and Progressive Governors’ Forum chairman, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, argued that political alignment with the centre would position Osun to attract more federal funding, infrastructure projects and economic opportunities.
He cited Federal Government initiatives, including Forest Guards, as part of efforts to combat banditry and terrorism, urging Osun to key into such programmes.
Oyebamiji, in his address, promised an inclusive administration focused on improving the lives of residents, insisting that governance was too serious to be treated as a political show.
“There is no more dancing. I have a mandate with you, and that mandate is to touch the lives of the people of Osun,” he said.
Other dignitaries at the rally included Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, who chairs the Osun Gubernatorial Council; Governor Hope Uzodimma; Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Uche Kalu; Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Alhaji Isiaka Oyetola; APC National Secretary, Dr Ajibola Basiru; former APC National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande; and former Osun Deputy Governor, Dr Iyiola Omisore.
Across their speeches, the party leaders repeatedly appealed for a peaceful, transparent and credible election, assuring voters of their safety.
With campaigns now officially over, the APC has placed its final bet on Oyebamiji, asking Osun voters to make Saturday’s election a decisive vote for what the party calls mainstream politics and closer alignment with Abuja.
