By Ade Oyeyemi
The All Progressives Congress in Ondo State has vowed to secure a record-breaking victory for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections, declaring its intention to outperform its performance in the 2023 presidential poll.
The party said it was intensifying grassroots mobilisation across the state ahead of the next general elections, as Vice-President Kashim Shettima is expected to lead APC governors, ministers, National Assembly members and other party leaders to Akure for a presidential campaign rally on Wednesday.
The Director-General of the Ondo State APC 2027 Presidential Campaign Council, Victor Olabimtan, disclosed the party’s ambition on Tuesday during a press conference at the Nigeria Union of Journalists Press Centre in Akure.
The rally is scheduled to hold at 9am at the Akure Township Stadium, with party members and supporters expected to attend from the 18 local government areas of the state.
Olabimtan, a former Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, said the APC was determined to improve on its 2023 electoral performance, when the state recorded what he described as the highest winning-margin percentage in the country.
He said the previous result had set a benchmark for the party, but insisted that the APC was working towards an even stronger showing in 2027.
“This is an achievement we are proud of, but we are not resting on our oars. We are determined to surpass that record in the 2027 general elections,” he said.
The campaign council chief said the target would require unity, discipline, effective coordination, strategic communication and the commitment of party members at all levels.
He urged political leaders and stakeholders to subordinate personal interests and ambitions to the collective objective of securing victory for Tinubu and other APC candidates.
According to him, the party has activated its mobilisation structures across the 18 local government areas under the leadership of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
He listed party leaders, elected officials, political appointees, ward and local government coordinators, as well as youth and women leaders, among those involved in preparations for the rally.
Olabimtan expressed confidence that the event would demonstrate the party’s organisational strength and provide an opportunity for residents to reaffirm their support for Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda.
He acknowledged that some of the economic reforms introduced by the President’s administration had imposed temporary hardship on Nigerians but argued that difficult decisions were required to address longstanding structural problems, strengthen public finances and attract investment.
The APC chieftain also highlighted what he described as the benefits of the Federal Government’s interventions in Ondo State, particularly in infrastructure, education, healthcare and economic development.
He said the appointment of three substantive ministers from the state into the Federal Executive Council had strengthened its representation at the national level.
The ministers, he noted, were the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Professor Taiwo Oyedele; Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; and Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande Wisdom.
On infrastructure, Olabimtan described the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as a major project capable of improving connectivity and stimulating economic activities in the state’s coastal communities.
He said the proposed Olokola Deep Seaport, if realised, would further unlock the maritime and industrial potential of the area, attract investors and generate employment.
He also cited the expansion and reconstruction of the Ore-Ondo-Akure Road and the dualisation of the Ilesha-Akure-Owo-Benin Road as important projects expected to improve transportation and ease the movement of people and goods.
In the health and education sectors, Olabimtan identified the approval and commencement of the Federal University of Technology, Akure Teaching Hospital as a significant development that would strengthen healthcare delivery, medical training and research.
He added that the proposed Aviation College would expand opportunities for technical education and skills development when established.
The campaign council director-general also pointed to Federal Government interventions in student financing and social investment, saying they were creating opportunities for young people and other Nigerians.
He called for stronger cooperation between the state and Federal Government to sustain development in infrastructure, agriculture, education, healthcare and employment generation.
Olabimtan commended Aiyedatiwa for what he described as efforts to promote internal cohesion, strengthen grassroots structures and coordinate party activities across the state.
He said ward meetings and engagements, alongside planned local government and senatorial meetings, were part of efforts to keep members united and prepare the party for the elections.
He maintained that the campaign council would sustain its activities after Wednesday’s rally by returning to communities to engage voters and communicate the administration’s policies and achievements.
“Our responsibility does not end with the successful hosting of the rally. We must return to our respective wards, local governments and communities to consolidate our structures and continuously engage the people,” he said.
Reaffirming the party’s electoral target, Olabimtan said the APC intended to deliver Ondo State for Tinubu and all its candidates in the 2027 elections.
He called on youths, women, professionals, artisans, traders, market associations, community leaders and other residents to participate in the rally.
The APC chieftain also urged attendees to maintain peace and respect democratic values, saying the party’s strength should be reflected not only in the number of supporters at the stadium but also in discipline and organisation.
He assured Shettima, APC governors, ministers and other national leaders that the state was prepared to host a successful rally.
Olabimtan further described the planned gathering as an opportunity to demonstrate the party’s unity, adding that the Akure event would be the most organised political rally in the state’s history.
He claimed that the APC had remained largely free of internal conflicts since the commencement of its electioneering activities, arguing that the party’s cohesion had strengthened its readiness for the 2027 polls.
