Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has thrown his weight behind the African Democratic Congress governorship candidate in Osun State, rallying voters at the party’s grand finale campaign in Osogbo ahead of Saturday’s election.

Speaking to a large crowd, Atiku declared that the ADC currently parades the best of Nigerians within its ranks, urging the electorate to extend their support to Dr Najeem Salaam, the party’s candidate and a former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly.

Atiku reminded the crowd of their consistent backing for him in previous elections, recalling how they had supported him both during Governor Ademola Adeleke’s campaign and his own presidential bid, when Osun voters helped him defeat President Bola Tinubu in the state. Standing on the same podium for the fourth time, he expressed confidence that voters would not regret extending that same loyalty to Salaam, describing the impressive turnout at the rally as a sign of the party’s coming victory.

ADC National Chairman, Senator David Mark, echoed that optimism, framing the rally as an early celebration of what he described as an inevitable win on Saturday. He urged party members to come out in full force to vote and to remain vigilant in protecting their ballots, warning that any attempt to manipulate the results would not be tolerated. Mark promised that party leaders would return to march with supporters to the government house once Salaam is sworn in come November.

For his part, Salaam used the rally to outline his agenda should he emerge victorious, promising to overhaul the state’s power sector to guarantee stable electricity, alongside free education from primary to secondary school and a review of tuition fees in tertiary institutions.

He also pledged free healthcare for children aged one to eighteen, free treatment for pregnant women, welfare support for the elderly and widows, and the employment of 20,000 youths within his first 100 days in office, in addition to targeted support for farmers.

ADC National Secretary Rauf Aregbesola, who welcomed guests to the event, insisted the party was not in alliance with any rival ahead of the poll and positioned Salaam as a candidate of continuity, citing plans to revive the O’YES youth employment scheme and the O’MEALS school feeding programme.

The rally drew a host of prominent ADC figures, including former Borno PDP governorship candidate Kashim Imam, ex-Minister of Police Affairs Adamu Waziri, and former Ondo PDP governorship candidate Eyitayo Jegede, among others, as the party made its final push ahead of the August 15 governorship election.