…Says no member is left out of reconciliation efforts
By Dayo Johnson, Akure
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State has dismissed reports of rivalry and divisions among its leaders, declaring that the party is united and ready for the 2027 general elections.
The state chairman, Hon. Babatunde Kolawole, expressed confidence that the party would secure victories for President Bola Tinubu and its other candidates, insisting that ongoing reconciliation efforts were yielding positive results.
Speaking with journalists in Akure, Kolawole said no member or interest group had been excluded from efforts to strengthen the party and bring all tendencies together.
He said there was no reason for members to regard one another as rivals, particularly as Ondo State would not hold a governorship election in 2027 and Tinubu had emerged as the party’s sole presidential candidate.
“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.
Kolawole thanked Tinubu and the APC National Chairman for their support, while commending Senate Leader, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, and other party members for their contributions to the success of the presidential campaign.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign in Ondo State, Rt. Hon. Victor Olabimtan, reaffirmed the party’s unity, disclosing that the reconciliation committee established after the party congress had reached out to various party organs, interest groups and individuals.
He said the committee had extended its engagements beyond the state, including visits to Abuja and Lagos, as part of efforts to bring aggrieved members back into the party’s fold.
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 process was making progress.
He said he had personally reached out to some party leaders, adding that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa had also made the unification of different tendencies a priority since emerging as the party’s leader in the state.
According to him, Tinubu’s emergence as the APC’s presidential candidate offered members an opportunity 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 reconciliation efforts would translate into electoral victories for Tinubu, as well as the party’s candidates for the Senate, House of Representatives and 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 unity and collective mobilisation would be crucial to achieving the party’s one-million-vote target.
She said women in Ondo State were firmly behind the President and would mobilise support for his re-election.
Osamaye attributed the anticipated support to what she described as 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 listed were the distribution of 10,000 professional kits to nurses and healthcare assistants, the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), initiatives to promote youth participation in agribusiness and the Every Home Garden programme.
She added that thousands of women had also benefited from economic empowerment programmes under the President’s Renewed Hope Initiative.
“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 in the January 16, 2027 presidential election.
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 both leaders were working together.
The commissioner further described Governor Aiyedatiwa as the undisputed leader of the APC in Ondo State, enjoying the support of party members.
Meanwhile, an APC chieftain, Chief Olusola Oke, dismissed concerns about political thuggery ahead of the 2027 general elections, maintaining that Ondo State remained peaceful and that no opposition member or party had been attacked by political thugs.
Oke commended the state media for its vigilance and professionalism, particularly for broadening discussions beyond the presidential campaign rally to address the wider political situation in the country.
He said reports of increasing political violence in other parts of Nigeria did not reflect the situation in Ondo State, arguing that the level of political support for Tinubu in the state left little basis for violence.
While acknowledging reports of violence elsewhere, Oke 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.
He expressed confidence that security agencies would deal with anyone responsible for political thuggery and commended Aiyedatiwa, as the state’s Chief Security Officer, for maintaining security.
Although acknowledging that disagreements and political tensions were inevitable in a diverse country like Nigeria, Oke maintained that isolated security incidents should not undermine the peaceful atmosphere needed for the 2027 elections.
“At the end of the day, we are going to have the most peaceful election,” he said.
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