2023: Ekiti APC Vows Total Victory At General Elections As Deputy Speaker Flags off Re-election Campaign
.Jamiu promises to do more
By Gbenga Sodeinde
The Deputy Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Hakeem Jamiu, on Wednesday flagged off his re-election campaign as the All Progressives Congress (APC) vows to win all available seats in the 2023 general elections.
Rt. Hon. Jamiu who was presented with the party flag as the House of Assembly candidate for Irepodun/Ifelodun Constituency 2 at his hometown, Igbemo Ekiti used the forum to give account of his stewardship in nearly four years in office and pledged to do more for his constituents if re-elected.
The Deputy Speaker who was joined by his wife, Mrs. Modupe Jamiu and his supporters, also organized career talk and constituency engagement with students of secondary schools in all the six wards in the state constituency with the students smiling home with schoolbags, exercise books, among others.
He motivated the students by telling the story of his life from a humble beginning as a son of teachers who endured mich suffering and inconveniences to rise to the coveted position he occupies assuring them that they can become grater if they study hard and shun vices like indolence, truancy, drug abuse and internet fraud otherwise known as “yahoo-yahoo.”
The well-attended Deputy Speaker’s re-election declaration was the first official campaign of the APC anywhere in Ekiti State for the general elections with party leaders including former Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi; the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Olubunmi Adelugba; the state APC Chairman, Barrister Paul Omotoso; APC Deputy Chairman, Chief Sola Elesin declaring the readiness of the party to sweep polls at the coming polls.
The state APC chair Omotoso who commended Jamiu for his loyalty to the party and quality representation for the people of his constituency saying the party is proud of him for various human development and poverty alleviation programmes he organized for his constituents.
Apparently impressed with the massive turnout at the flag off campaign, Omotoso urged party members across the state to be united to ensure a total victory for the party in the forthcoming elections starting with the presidential election. He predicted victory for the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The APC chair said the party, having won the last governorship election, was not in any mood to back down on its quest for more electoral success ahead of the general elections declaring the party’s readiness to win all available federal and state legislative seats which he said would be capped with victory in the presidential poll.
Omotoso said: “We are approaching the coming elections as a united family, that is why we have been appealing to contestants who lost out in the last primaries to sheathe their swords and work for the party to win starting from the presidential and National Assembly election on February 25 and the House of Assembly election on March 11.
“APC will win all the seats available at the coming elections. It is not about any individual, it is about the party, our people and the future of our children. That is why we must vote for Bola Tinubu for Presidency, Opeyemi Bamidele for Senate, Olusola Fatoba for House of Representatives, Hakeem Jamiu and Femi Akindele for House of Assembly for the two state constituency seats.”
Handing over the flag to Jamiu to represent the party at the Assembly poll for Irepodun/Ifelodun Constituency 2, Omotoso attested to the candidate’s integrity, pedigree and character to return to the State Assembly for another term having performed well during his first tenure.
Former Deputy Governor Egbeyemi said the sight of a big crowd at the flag off rally most of whom were women attested to the popularity of Jamiu in his hometown in particular and the constituency in general describing the turnout as a signal for an impending victory for the candidate and the party at the election.
He said: “The massive crowd here shows that Hakeem Jamiu is popular among his people and he is very good at home. Hakeem Jamiu is a good son to me and by the grace of God, he is going to win again in the coming House of Assembly election. There will be no division in Constituency 2.
“Apart from his election, we must all work for the victory of Asiwaju Tinubu. In fact, all members of the Yoruba race must see Tinubu’s victory as their personal project. I don’t see any reason why any Yoruba person should not vote for Tinubu at next month’s presidential election which must be used to signal further victories for our party in other elections.”
The former Deputy Governor said the APC government has many projects to showcase in the Constituency including the Ekiti Cargo Airport, major state road, school projects, among other empowerment programmes for the people noting the the elections represent opportunities to reciprocate with their votes.
House of Assembly Speaker Mrs Adelugba thanked the people of the Constituency for their support for Jamiu whom she described as a leading light in the state legislature urging them to ensure his re-election to continue the good work he has been doing.
She said: “I love Igbemo Ekiti so much and they have good sons and daughters and they are people one can be proud of. Hakeem Jamiu is reliable, committed, trustworthy and he is a prominent leader and a leading light in the Assembly. He has represented this Constituency very well in the Assembly.
“If you vote for him and he returns, he will be saddled with bigger assignments, he will do more and attract bigger things to this Constituency and the people will be better for it. We must ensure victory for the party at the coming elections starting with the presidential and National Assembly polls in February before the House of Assembly poll in March.”
The APC State Deputy Chairman Elesin said the party is proud of Jamiu for various projects he attracted to the constituency and for his human capital development efforts for his people including the elevation of traditional rulers noting that he deserved a re-election to ensure better performance.
Addressing the gathering, the Deputy Speaker said the last three and half years gave him the opportunity to serve to the people of the Constituency with visible projects, diligent lawmaking and performance of oversight functions to the best of his ability.
Jamiu said it was on the strength of his performance since his election on 2019 that he is seeking for another term in the state legislature for more better life for the people of Igbemo, Orun, Afao, Araromi Obbo, Are, Iworoko, Esure, Eyio, Iropora, Ilomu and Awo.
He said: “My dear constituents, I humbly request for your votes once again and promise to do more than I have done in the last three and a half years. I want to assure the remaining communities that my impact will be felt more in my second term especially in the area of paying counterpart funding for EKCIDA projects.
“Once any community in my constituency apply and secure a project with EKSCIDA, or any of the development partners, I will be ready to assist in terms of the counterpart funding, this is a promise. I am also happy to announce that work will soon commence on the Oye-Are road which is in this year’s budget. Effort is also going on to ensure that work resume on Esure- Eyio- Awo road.
“Once again, I canvass for your votes not only for me, Hakeem Jamiu for House of Assembly, but also for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as President, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele as Senator and Olusola Fatoba as House of Representatives member. We will not disappoint you.”
The flag off ceremony was attended by House of Assembly members, House of Assembly candidates, chairmen of local government and local council development areas, party leaders in the council areas and party representatives in all the six wards making up the Constituency.