Massive crowd on Thursday welcomed the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on a campaign tour to Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Huge number of residents poured out on the streets to identify with the APC presidential candidate making it difficult for the campaign motorcade to meander through the filled up streets of the city.
The Mapo Hall venue of the campaign rally and its adjoining streets bristled with excited crowd of supporters in what residents described as an unprecedented political rally.
Tinubu, who had earlier visited the Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, and also conferred with traditional rulers from the South West, managed to reach the campaign venue at around 6:40pm.
The presence of the candidate electrified the elated crowd, which danced to campaign songs. Waving to the crowd, Tinubu also danced as he moved around the podium along with the APC governorship candidate in the state, Senator Teslim Folarin, and other party leaders.
However, the wild excitement among the crowd of supporters and setting darkness did not allow for speeches.
But in his prepared speech, Tinubu promised the people of Oyo State that his administration’s agriculture policy will be of benefit to the people of Oyo State if elected.
He urged the people of the state to partner with him to quicken the pace of economic development, of job creation, of business, of industry, of prosperity and of renewed hope in Oyo and in Nigeria.
He said, “My plans for you and for Nigeria are beneficial and good. They speak of a better tomorrow of sufficient jobs, sufficient food, sufficient money and sufficient fairness and opportunity such that you will be able to realize your dearest dreams as long as you are willing to work toward them”.
“Oyo will straddle the timeline between the best of our past and the greatness of our awaiting future. It will reach back into the best of our traditions to showcase our art, culture and way of life to the rest of the world.
“Our plans will benefit your industries, your farms and the very way you live. We will attract industry and jobs but also help you create industries and jobs on your own.
“We will attract even more institutions such as the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture and bring the beneficial type of foreign direct investment to join with our own meaningful investment to expand our economy and industries.”
He also added, “When elected, we will develop industrial hubs, allowing you to produce more of the goods you need while earning a living wage in doing so.
“We will invest wisely in required infrastructure. The means Oyo will be to power its factories, light your homes, preserve your food, and export the goods and services you command so that you earn better incomes and live better lives.”
Among those who were with the APC presidential candidate at the rally were Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, former governors Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) and Adeboyega Oyetola (Osun), members of the National Assembly, among other chieftains of the party.