Atiku, Ayu, Diri ask Osun people to liberate selves from poverty, vote Adeleke

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…as Okowa, Tambuwal, Diri broker peace among aggrieved Osun chieftains

BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO

The Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu and Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, on Thursday urged the people of Osun State to vote Senator Ademola Adeleke, the gubernatorial candidate of the party on Saturday.

They opined that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun has brought hunger, poverty as well as darkness to the state. Therefore, they asked electorate to vote out APC to liberate themselves.

Speaking at the Osun State PDP governorship grand rally held at the party secretariat in Osogbo, the state capital, Ayu said Adeleke’s administration would rescue the state from the doldrums.

He said, “let us work for Senator Ademola Adeleke for Saturday election to make a change because PDP will rescue Osun people and Nigerians from darkness.

Also speaking, Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri said the base of PDP in Osun State is organic, therefore, electorate should vote out poverty, illiteracy and hardship in the state.

He said Osun election is not for the people of the state alone but for Nigerians at large.

On his own part, the presidential candidate of the party, Abubakar admonished electorate to protect their votes because Osun is PDP State and not for APC.

He told the mammoth crowd, “Don’t allow APC to rig on Saturday so that you would not go back to darkness which they have created.”

Atiku further noted that’s if the electorate should return Ademola Adeleke to power, they have actually returned PDP back to power.

In his short remarks, the Governorship Candidate of the PDP, Senator Ademola Adeleke promised to bring development to the rural areas of the state if elected.

Adeleke noted that if electorate should vote for him, they would have voted for progress, development, and good welfare for pensioners and that their lives would change for better.

“I am a progressive like Chief Obafemi Awolowo and would follow his step,” Adeleke noted.

Following alleged refusal by the state government to approve venues sought for the grand rally, PDP members throng a lane of Stadium Road along the PDP office and caused traffic snarl as crowd of supporters took over the area.

Meanwhile, the Vice Presidential candidate of the party, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, had on Wednesday, led some chieftains of the party to Osun State to broker peace between Adeleke, and the factional group in the state.

Okowa, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto, and Senator Duoye Diri of Bayelsa had a closed-door meeting with the former governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, the factional governorship candidate in Osun, Omooba Dotun Babayemi, former Secretary to the Osun State Government, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, BoT Members – Senator Olu Alabi and Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun as well as former national Vice Chairman ( South West), Tajudeen Oladipo.

The spokesperson, Dotun Babayemi Campaign Organization, Kayode Oladeji, in a statement made available to our correspondent, said the meeting was held at the residence of Senator Alabi in Osogbo.

Oladeji said the party leaders addressed members of the party after the meeting where Okowa said, “elections will come up on Saturday. As I watch, I see politicians and I know a lot of you have followers back home that you will lead to the polls on Saturday.

“I want to plead with you, this election is beyond the Osun election, if we win on Saturday, it will send a message that PDP is ready for 2023; people are yearning for a Change.

“If we are going to turn this country around, we must work together to share the gospel, so we can give hope to our people, elders and young ones that Nigeria will be better for everyone and I believe that the message will be passed across in Osun as you will be the ones to pass the message across that there will be light at the end of the tunnel

“APC knows they’ve done so bad and their only plan is to steal your votes but I know you’re the ones who can defend the votes for us if you can take the pain you have in your heart away. Look beyond the candidate, look beyond Osun, look at Atiku, look at the presidency, and look at what we can do for this country together.

“We cannot allow this country to continue to suffer, we cannot allow our children to continue to live without hope, our children have been at home for several months and they don’t care. We need you to restore the hope in the people.”

Bayelsa Governor, Senator Diri apologised for making the move a day before the mega rally, saying “all the lingering crisis and misunderstandings in Osun, a lot of people have intervened before now but by God’s Grace, this time we will break the ice.

He disclosed that leaders of the party have agreed to sheath their swords and unite for the progress of the party, saying “everything we’ve agreed on will be implemented.”

Former governor of Osun State, Oyinlola said the meeting marks a positive turning point in the history of PDP.