Following the declaration of the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo to contest the 2023 presidential election, residents of Ekiti state on Monday trooped out to drum support for his ambition, describing him as the most competent and qualified to deliver victory for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The residents under the auspices of Osinbajo Grassroots Organisation (OGO), marched across the streets of Ado-Ekiti, the state capital where vehicular and human movements were disrupted for several hours.
The residents in their hundreds chanted solidarity songs in support of the VP, moved from the popular Fajuyi park through Ijigbo area to APC secretariat in Ajilosun area where they were received by the party officials.
Speaking during the rally, the leader of the group, Femi Adeleye commended the the vice president for accepting to contest the 2023 presidential, saying his competence and capabilities stood him out among the aspirants jostling for the nation’s number one seat.
The former member of the state House of Assembly noted that Osinbajo in the last seven years had demonstrated unmatched loyalty to the president and the party, this he said made him acceptable to all Nigerians across party lines.
According to him, the group and other citizens of the state would commence massive mobilization towards him winning ticket of the APC, saying with him as the candidate, the party would not lose the presidential election in next year February.
He called on the leadership of the party under the chairmanship of Abdullahi Adamu to consider picking the vice president as the presidential candidate of the APC by all options available to the party.
Adeleye said, “ we have been pressurizing him in the last few years for him to contest. We even decided if he doesn’t declare this week, we will have gone to court to compel him. It is on record that no other Vice President in the history of modern Nigeria have had such a crisis-free, corruption-free, robust working relationship with his principal like Professor Osinbajo.
“ Today in Nigeria , Professor Osinbajo name is synonymous with loyalty , trust , competence , capacity and faithfulness. He is the one with most capable credentials and disposition of taking Nigeria to the promise land, he has long been nurtured for the leadership role of president.”
Asked on how the Osinbajo would defeat the likes of Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other aspirants at the primary, Adeleye said, “ We have brought a very marketable and sellable aspirant for the APC and the party must not lose the 2023 presidential election.
“ The race is not about big names but person with capability. Tinubu is the leader of the party, no doubt but what we are saying is we have seen Osinbajo performance ,loyalty and acceptability across the country. If we are going with consensus, Tinubu will support Osinbajo , I can tell you that.”
Responding, the chairman of the APC in the state, Paul Omotosho described the vice president as a worthy member and leader of the party, advising the people to go about their mobilization for him in a peaceful atmosphere.
The chairman who was represented by the state secretary, Garba Arogundade said whoever wins the primary election among the numerous aspirants would be readily supported by the party members towards delivering victory for the ruling APC.