• Receive royal blessings, assurances of support from Olosi, Alofa, other traditional rulers
From Taiye Joseph, Ilorin
Candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State, led by the party’s governorship candidate and Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Danladi Salihu, commenced a statewide “Thank You” tour in the southern part of the state following the successful conduct of the party’s primaries.
Accompanied by the Kwara State APC Chairman, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, party leaders and various support groups, the APC train began the tour in Ekiti Local Government Area, before proceeding to Oke-Ero Local Government Area.
The delegation first paid courtesy visits to the palaces of the Olosi of Osi and Chairman of the Ekiti Traditional Council, Oba Saliu Abdulkareem Adasofegbe, and the Alofa of Ilofa and Chairman of the Oke-Ero Traditional Council, Oba Samuel Niyi Dada. Other traditional rulers from both local government areas were also in attendance.
Speaking during the tour, the team leader, Rt. Hon. Danladi, expressed appreciation to the people of both local government areas for their overwhelming support, particularly during the APC primaries, and urged them to remain committed as preparations begin for the general elections.
“We are starting this tour in Ekiti as a mark of honour for our party chairman. We are here to thank you for what you did during the party primaries and to seek your continued support for all our candidates, from our presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, down to the State House of Assembly candidates,” Danladi told APC supporters at the Ekiti Town Hall.
“We appreciate you for coming out in large numbers to receive us. This visit was arranged at short notice, yet this hall is filled to capacity. We will never take your support for granted. We will consolidate on the achievements of the administration of Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.”
Danladi pledged to sustain the developmental strides of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, particularly in infrastructure, inclusive growth, human capital development and the strengthening of traditional institutions.
“I appeal to you to reach out to your neighbours, especially those who may have strayed, and encourage them to return to the winning team. The train has not departed yet; there is still room for everyone to come on board. May Almighty God continue to guide us,” he added.
Prince Fagbemi said the people of Ekiti, like residents in other parts of the state, had benefited immensely from the AbdulRazaq administration.
He cited the completion and take-off of the KWASU Campus in Osi, the reconstruction of the Osi–Obbo-Aiyegunle Road and other landmark projects across the region.
According to him, the best way for the people to appreciate the governor’s developmental efforts is to reward the APC with overwhelming votes in the next elections.
“The only thing I want to tell our traditional rulers is that Ekiti Local Government has witnessed unprecedented growth and development under this administration. We now have a functional KWASU campus,” he said.
“This government reconstructed the Osi–Obbo-Aiyegunle Road, which previously took us more than two hours to travel. Today, it takes barely 10 minutes from Osi. Ekiti Bloc has also secured the House of Representatives slot, restoring what used to be our lost glory. We must appreciate Governor AbdulRazaq by voting massively for the APC.”
Addressing the candidates at the palace of the Olosi, Fagbemi said: “By the authority vested in our traditional rulers, every blessing pronounced upon you today shall endure, and you shall succeed.”
Hon. Abolarin Ganiyu Gabriel, member representing Ekiti Constituency in the Kwara State House of Assembly and APC House of Representatives candidate, also thanked the people for their unwavering support for the party and urged them to sustain the momentum in the 2027 general elections.
In their separate remarks, the Olosi of Osi and the Alofa of Ilofa commended Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, for what they described as remarkable transformation across the state over the past seven years and prayed for continued success for his administration.
The first-class monarchs, alongside other traditional rulers from Ekiti and Oke-Ero, charged the APC candidates to serve with integrity if elected and offered prayers for their victory at the polls.
The APC senatorial candidate for Kwara South, Prince Lekan Adewoye, praised the people of Ekiti and Oke-Ero for their consistent support for the APC and their decisive role during the primaries, assuring them that their interests would remain a priority if elected.
In their separate remarks, Elder Dele Aina and Engr. Ogunmola, described Ekiti Local Government, as a stronghold of the APC and pledged their unwavering support for all the party’s candidates in the forthcoming elections.
Elder Aina said the people of Ekiti remained united, steadfast and fully prepared to vote overwhelmingly for the APC, expressing confidence that the community would continue to reap greater dividends of democracy.
