The governor of Oyo state, Seyi Makinde, has asked the All Progressives Congress (APC) to shelve the idea of capturing the southwest region of the country.
The governor said voters are ready to chase away APC with the hardship and hunger the party has caused.
The APC national chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, last Sunday in Akure had said the ruling party was doing everything to retain Ondo and take over Oyo and Osun states from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Speaking during the PDP gubernatorial campaign in Oke-Agbe and Ikare in Akoko North-West and Akoko North-East Local Government Areas, Makinde declared that the ruling party would find it difficult to retain Ondo let alone capture Osun and Oyo.
The Oyo state governor said it was very obvious that the people of Ondo had rejected the APC and were just waiting to express it with their votes in the November 16 governorship election in the state.
Makinde, who is the southwest leader of the PDP, urged the people to protect their votes by all means, warning that the APC was ready to rig and cause distractions during this coming poll.
He said: “I am very sure that the national chairman of APC, Alhaji Ganduje, and Governor Aiyedatiwa who have been saying APC would retain Ondo state and capture more states in the southwest would be shocked with the turnout of votes for the PDP in this coming election.
“With what I have been seeing since the campaign began, it really shows that the people of Ondo state are ready to chase APC away from the government house. PDP will have more states in the coming elections.”
“Come out en masse on November 16, cast your vote, stay with your vote, let them count it in your presence and announce the result from your unit. After that, follow it to the collation centre.”
Makinde expressed confidence in the capacity of the PDP candidate, Agboola Ajayi, to positively transform the Sunshine state.
Ajayi reaffirmed his commitment to development, promising to revitalise the state economy, reform the health sector, provide free education from primary school to secondary school and reduce tuition fees payable in the state-owned universities and polytechnic.
He also promised to enhance security in the state, transform the agricultural sector, develop infrastructure, provide more employment opportunities for youths and organise empowerment programmes for women.