Some All Progressives Congress elders in Ondo State have promised to mobilise eligible voters to ensure President Bola Tinubu’s victory in 2027.
The elders, under the auspices of Ondo State APC Elders Movement, said out of 1.9 million voters in the state, they would ensure 1.5 million go out on the election day to vote for Tinubu.
The group’s Chairman, Senator Nimbe Farunkanmi, made the promise on Monday at the meeting held in Akure, the state capital.
According to the octogenarian, the group, made up of elders of the party willing to work for its unity and success, would ensure that 90 per cent of the votes cast in the state would be for the President.
“This is the elder’s movement for Tinubu’s continuity in office.
“This type of meeting will be held at the local government, wards and units for Tinubu’s re-election,” Farunkanmi said.
Another leader of the group, Mr Jamiu Ekungba, said the essence of the meeting was to bring everyone together for mobilisation, stressing that registration would be by commitment.
According to him, the party was already mobilising people for the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission, to achieve its mission.
“You know, in the last election, we tried it and we were able to achieve it, because for the governor to win 366,000 votes was unusual.
“So, as somebody has said, we are going to deliver 1.5 million votes to Tinubu, and it is possible because, currently, registered voters in the state are 1.9 million,” he said.
Ekungba lamented voter apathy, stating that the problem was that people shunned voting activities.
“So what the elders want to do now is to persuade everybody to come out and vote, and we’re going to vote massively for Tinubu in such a way that has never been done.
“When we return that figure, nobody would say something happened because it’s going to be real votes,” Ekungba noted.
The Ondo State representative in the National Population Commission, Mrs Olukemi Iyantan, said focus had been shifted to the 2027 general election after the November 16, 2024, governorship poll.
“We are focusing on the achievements and the victory at the polls in 2027 for the re-election of our President, Bola Tinubu.
“The issue is the unity of purpose, how we can form a unified force, especially the creation of the elders’ movement.
“So we will always consult the elders for knowledge. This will help us to reach where we are going, unlike before, when we didn’t even have leaders.
“Now that we have leaders and the elders who are committed to the cause of 2027, the re-election of our president will be easier to achieve,” she said.
