Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima has expressed confidence that the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s achievements in Ebonyi State and the federal government’s visible presence in the South-East will swing votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in January’s Presidential election.
Shettima made the declaration in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, while speaking at the Presidential rally.
The Vice President, who listed numerous investments by President Tinubu to complement Governor Nwifuru’s efforts in infrastructural delivery, maintained that the next election would be a walkover for Tinubu.
He said: “We have returned to seek the renewal of your mandate: to serve you, to defend you and to stand by you.
“Good people of Ebonyi State, we are honouring our promises because you elected His Excellency, Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, as the APC flagbearer. We are honouring our promises because the sons and daughters of this state worked day and night for the success of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Where shall we begin the account of our work? Shall we begin with the Calabar-Ebonyi-Okigwe-Nasarawa-Abuja Superhighway? What about the Trans-Saharan Highway? Or the bridge linking Ebonyi with Cross River State?
“We are advancing work on the Enugu-Abakaliki-Ogoja Expressway and the Ogoja-Arochukwu-Cross River Road.
“Again, I ask: where shall we begin?
“Good people of Ebonyi State, we have set aside funding for renewable energy projects in eight locations across the state. These investments are intended to power homes and businesses.
“Construction has begun on the renovation of housing estates to give more families decent places to live.”
Aside improvement in infrastructures, the Vice President also mentioned efforts by the federal government in human capital development which he noted has touched the lives of the average Nigerian across 36 states of the federation
“We know what education means to you. Through NELFUND and TETFund, we are supporting students and educational institutions.
“Thousands of people in Ebonyi State have benefited from grants under the Presidential Conditional Grants Scheme. Our employment and digital skills programmes are also helping young people acquire skills and build livelihoods.
“Your Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, the security situation in this country has changed since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu became Commander-in-Chief more than three years ago. We have worked to restore order, and we will continue working.
“Here in Ebonyi, the Nigerian Army Recruit Training Depot in Amasiri, Afikpo North, has opened and commenced operations.
“We have also established the South-East Development Commission, launched the South-East Vision 2050 and approved the South-East Investment Company.
“We understand the relationship between security and livelihoods.
“We have a million reasons to return with confidence, but we do not take your support for granted.”
The Imo State governor and Secretary of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Hope Uzodinma said the people of Ebonyi and by extension, the entire South East would no longer be swayed by ethnic sentiments but cast their ballots for President Tinubu whom he noted has brought development to the region. He cautioned that a vote for any opposition candidate would be a serious drawback for ongoing federal government infrastructure projects ongoing in the region
He said:”Our responsibility will start from now to go and look for our PVC. That is the weapon, because if Bola Tinubu is not re-elected, all these ongoing projects will stop. So we have to sharpen our weapon, and our weapon is our voter’s card.
“The day is January 16. The ammunition is your voter’s card. So all of us, young men, young women, mothers, fathers, uncles, brothers, sisters, go and bring their PVC and vote massively. The symbol is the broom. Vote massively for APC.
“There is no name on the ballot paper called President Bola Tinubu. What is on the ballot paper is APC, and I invite all of you to vote for APC.
” If you want all the roads that Governor Umahi has enumerated, the only way those roads can be completed is if we re-elect Bola Tinubu and the only way we can re-elect him is to vote for him en- masse.
“Days are gone when we cast votes on sentiment. We are not voting sentiment. We are voting pragmatism.
“Let me tell you, we have our enemies. When there is a new presidential election, they will come to Ebonyi. They will tell you, “This is your brother. This is your cousin. Vote for him because they want us to be marginalized. This is time to stop marginalization.
“The only way to stop marginalization is to come out en masse and vote so that their brothers and sisters will be on the table where national decisions will be taken. So this time around, we are not going to vote for sentiment. We are voting for national unity. We are voting for Nigeria, and we are going to vote for Nigeria where all of us will be included.”
His Ebonyi state counterpart, Francis Nwifuru, spoke in the same vein as he equally enumerated the present federal administration presence in areas of infrastructures in his state.
“Our support for President Tinubu is not based on sentiment. It is rooted in evidence, conviction and gratitude. Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, Ebonyi State has continued to receive critical federal attention. “Federal roads are receiving renewed intervention, educational opportunities are expanding, and agricultural initiatives are being strengthened.
“Since assuming office, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has demonstrated uncommon courage in pursuing reforms aimed at repositioning Nigeria for sustainable growth and prosperity.
“Yet, beyond the national reforms, what gives us immense joy as Ebonyi people is the visible and strategic infrastructural attention our dear state has received under the Renewed Hope administration.
“For decades, one of the greatest challenges confronting the people of the South-East and, indeed, many parts of Nigeria has been poor road infrastructure. Community roads remain in poor condition, agricultural potential remains untapped, and communities remain disconnected.
“But, Mr President, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been able to address some of these challenges within three and a half years in office.
“This is evident in the historic intervention on the approximately 788-kilometre Afikpo–Onueke–Ukwuachi–Abuja Expressway corridor, with an over 35-span flyover at Onueke in Ezza South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
“My dear good people of this great state, this project is not merely a road. It is an economic revolution. It is a strategic national asset and a development corridor designed to unlock the vast economic potential of our separate states and communities.”
Former Zamfara state governor and Director-General of the APC-PCC. Senator Abdulaziz Yari urged the voters in the state to reciprocate President Tinubu’s efforts in addressing age long lamentation of marginalization of the south east by casting their ballots for the APC presidential candidate.
Yari specifically demanded 1.5 million votes
“My dear Ebonyi people, on behalf of the Presidential Campaign Council, we appreciate you. Governor Umahi, Minister of Works, your government and all stakeholders in Ebonyi State, we thank you for the mammoth crowd you have mobilised for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“We are assured that in Ebonyi State, only Tinubu’s party exists. Is that true? Is that not so? In Ebonyi State, only Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s party exists. Ebonyi youths, is that not so?
“Okay. I confirmed from your main man, the Minister of Works. I asked him how many registered voters Ebonyi State has. He said 1.8 million. I also gathered that the PVC collected figures showing that, at the last count, the state had 1.5 million voters.
“Your Excellency, sir, on behalf of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I am setting my target. My target is a minimum of 1.2 million votes.”
Other speakers at the rally included, Deputy National Chairman,South, Ben Nwoye who represented the APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda; Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi and former Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.