Ondo APC united, ready for 2027 general elections

• No basis for rivalry in Ondo APC, says Kolawole

• No one left out of reconciliation drive, says Olabimtan

• Oke, Adu, Osamaye assure party candidates of victory

By Tolulope Eniola

The Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared a united front ahead of the 2027 general election, dismissing claims of internal divisions and expressing confidence in its capacity to secure victories for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and its candidates.

The party said its reconciliation efforts were yielding positive results, insisting that no member had been excluded from the ongoing drive to unite all tendencies and strengthen its structure ahead of the polls.

Speaking at a press conference at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Akure on Friday, the state chairman, Hon. Babatunde Kolawole, dismissed claims of rivalry and division among party leaders, saying there was no basis for such concerns.

He maintained that APC members belonged to the same political family and should not regard one another as rivals, particularly as there would be no governorship election in Ondo State in 2027.

Kolawole also noted that President Tinubu had emerged as the party’s sole presidential candidate for the election.

“Therefore, there is no rivalry. There is no cause for alarm. I can assure you we are on top of it and everything will be okay,” he said.

The chairman appreciated President Bola Tinubu and the APC National Chairman for their support for the party.

He also commended the Senate Leader, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, and other party faithful for their contributions to the success of the campaign.

The Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign in Ondo State, Victor Olabimtan, also affirmed the party’s unity, disclosing that the reconciliation committee constituted after the party congress had reached out to party organs, interest groups and individuals across the country.

He said the committee had visited Abuja to engage some party leaders and contacted others in Lagos and different parts of the country.

Olabimtan cited the participation of previously estranged leaders, including Wale Akinterinwa and Princess Oladunni Odu, at the recent presidential campaign rally in Ondo State as evidence that the reconciliation efforts were yielding results.

He said he had personally reached out to some party leaders, while Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa had made the unification of all tendencies within the party a major responsibility since emerging as chairman.

According to him, President Tinubu’s emergence had presented an opportunity for members to put their differences aside and consolidate the party’s unity.

“Nobody is left out. All we need to do is to ensure that we put more effort into strengthening the existing unity that we are all enjoying in the party today.

“So, there is no cause for alarm. As we make progress, you will also see that our efforts, the efforts of the governor, the party and its leaders are indeed yielding fruits to ensure that everybody is brought on board,” he said.

Olabimtan expressed confidence that the party’s unity would translate into electoral victories for Tinubu, senators, members of the House of Representatives and members of the state and national assemblies.

Similarly, the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr Seun Osamaye, pledged the support of women across the state for Tinubu’s re-election, saying a united front and collective mobilisation were critical to achieving the one million votes target.

She said Ondo women were firmly behind the President and would work together to secure massive votes for him.

Osamaye attributed the anticipated support to what she described as unprecedented interventions by the Federal Government and First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, in women’s economic empowerment, education, social inclusion and social protection for vulnerable groups.

She disclosed that Ondo State had benefited from more than 20 interventions under the Renewed Hope initiatives.

Among the programmes, she said, were the distribution of 10,000 professional kits to nurses and professional healthcare assistants, the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), initiatives to promote youth participation in agribusiness and the Every Home Garden programme, which encourages household food cultivation.

She added that thousands of women had also benefited from economic empowerment programmes under the President’s Renewed Hope Initiative.

According to her, the interventions had enabled women to access government support without begging or lobbying.

“For the first time, government is not for the privileged few. Many women now benefit without having to beg or lobby,” she said.

Osamaye expressed confidence that the interventions would translate into massive votes for Tinubu on January 16, 2027, predicting an unprecedented electoral performance for the President in the state.

She also dismissed suggestions of strained relations among party leaders, describing Princess Oladunni Odu, the state’s first female Secretary to the State Government, as a respected leader with whom she maintained a cordial relationship.

Recalling their embrace at the recent presidential campaign rally, she insisted that they worked together.

Osamaye further described Governor Aiyedatiwa as the undisputed leader of the APC in Ondo State, enjoying the support of party members.

Meanwhile, APC chieftain, Chief Olusola Oke, dismissed concerns about political thuggery ahead of the 2027 elections, insisting that Ondo State remained peaceful and that no opposition member or political party had been attacked by thugs.

He commended the state media for its vigilance and professionalism, particularly for extending discussions beyond the presidential campaign rally to the wider political situation in Nigeria.

Oke said reports of increasing political thuggery in other parts of the country did not reflect the situation in Ondo State, arguing that the support of political parties in the state for Tinubu left no basis for violence.

While acknowledging reports of violence elsewhere, he attributed them to opposition to the President’s reforms and alleged that some individuals were seeking to undermine the electoral process out of concerns about their political relevance after Tinubu’s administration.

He expressed confidence that security agencies would deal with those responsible for thuggery and commended Governor Aiyedatiwa, as the state’s Chief Security Officer, for maintaining security.

Although acknowledging that disagreements and tensions were inevitable in a diverse country such as Nigeria, Oke maintained that isolated security incidents should not be allowed to undermine the peaceful atmosphere required for the 2027 elections.

“At the end of the day, we are going to have the most peaceful election,” he assured.