—– Dissociate from APC protest, back Tinubu, NWC

By Dayo Johnson Akure

The Women Wing of the Ondo State chapter of the Grassroot Movement for Tinubu, GMT, has endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima for a second term, citing the administration’s strides in putting Nigeria “on the right pedestal for growth.”

The endorsement was made during a ceremony held in Akure, the state capital.

It’s tDirector of Women, Olamide Falana, said women in the state are happy with the successes recorded by the Tinubu administration.

“As we all know, every election is local. That is why GMT stepped out to reach women who are canvassers and grassroots mobilisers across the entire state, to come together with one voice to endorse and massively support His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and his running mate, His Excellency Senator Kashim Shettima, for a second term.

“Women here are happy with the successes of Mr. President and they are saying that they wish for them to continue, and they will work assiduously.

” I can assure you that Ondo State women are resolute and committed to delivering massive votes for Mr. President when the election comes.”

Speaking on mobilisation, Falana said women from all 203 wards of Ondo State were present, with over 1,500 units mobilised across the state.

“With this grassroots reach, we are going to ensure that every door is knocked on, every creek is reached, every market is combed, until we get all the votes that we require for Mr. President to succeed massively in Ondo State,” she said.

Falana also called for support for the National Working Committee of the APC and dissociated Ondo women from any protest against the party leadership.

“We are solidly behind them. We are in support of the National Assembly candidates and the presidential ticket ratified by the National Working Committee.

Falana listed achievements of the administration including the release of kidnapped children in Ogbomoso, empowerment grants and loans to families, and programmes under the Renewed Hope Initiative of First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, such as free sanitary pads for adolescent girls and support for women’s businesses, education and health interventions.

“For these and many more reasons, we know that better times are ahead for us as a nation, and our President is going to surely put Nigeria on the right pedestal for growth,” she added.

Also speaking, the Director General of GMT, Hon. Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye, said the gathering was to both endorse and appreciate what President Tinubu has done in the last two years.

“We are united as APC members in Ondo State. All of us from the 18 local government areas are here to endorse Mr. President and tell the people of Ondo State and Nigeria that we should allow him to continue with his good work,” he said.

Yusuf-Ogunleye said GMT is targeting “nothing less than one million votes” for the President in Ondo State.

“We must demonstrate capacity and improve on where we were the last time. Ondo State gave one of the highest numbers of votes last time. We want to repeat the feat and record even more,” he said.

He added that the group has been empowering women and youths, organising free medical outreaches, distributing eyeglasses, and engaging different communities across the state.

The Group Secretary, Rasheed Badmus, said Ondo State appreciates the President for giving the state three ministerial positions and for ongoing infrastructural development.

“Our own Honourable Minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has been so marvellous to the people of Ondo State,” he said.