Ondo APC closes ranks, vows to deliver Tinubu’s 2027 re-election victory
By Julius Alabi, Akure
The All Progressives Congress (APC), Ondo State Chapter has dismissed reports of internal divisions within its ranks, declaring that the party has reconciled its aggrieved members and is closing ranks to secure a sweeping victory for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other candidates in the 2027 general election.
The party leadership insisted that no member had been sidelined in its ongoing reconciliation efforts, maintaining that former rivals and competing tendencies were now being brought together under one political umbrella ahead of the crucial electoral contest.
Addressing journalists at a press conference organised at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Akure on Friday, the Ondo State APC Chairman, Hon. Babatunde Kolawole, dismissed suggestions of a looming leadership crisis, insisting that the party remained united and firmly focused on the task ahead.
Kolawole argued that there was no justification for political rivalry among party leaders, particularly as Ondo State would not hold a governorship election in 2027 and President Tinubu had already emerged as the party’s sole presidential candidate.
He described members of the APC as belonging to one political family, urging them to consolidate their common interests rather than allow personal differences to weaken the party’s electoral prospects.
“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 expressed appreciation to President Tinubu and the APC National Chairman for their support, while also commending Senate Leader, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, and other party stakeholders for their contributions to strengthening the party.
Providing further insight into the reconciliation process, the Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign in Ondo State, Victor Olabimtan, said the committee established after the party congress had embarked on extensive consultations with party leaders, interest groups and other stakeholders to ensure that no faction or individual was left behind.
He disclosed that the committee had travelled to Abuja to meet some influential party leaders and had also reached out to stakeholders in Lagos and other parts of the country.
According to him, the participation of previously estranged party leaders, including Wale Akinterinwa and Princess Oladunni Odu, at the recent presidential campaign rally in Ondo State was a clear indication that the reconciliation initiative was beginning to produce tangible results.
Olabimtan said he had personally reached out to several party leaders, while Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa had made the unification of all tendencies within the APC a major priority since assuming leadership of the party in the state.
He maintained that President Tinubu’s emergence as the party’s presidential candidate offered an opportunity for members to bury their differences and rally behind a common political objective.
“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,” he said.
Olabimtan expressed optimism that the growing cohesion would translate into electoral dividends for the APC, not only in the presidential contest but also in elections for the Senate, House of Representatives and state and national assemblies.
Meanwhile, the Ondo State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr Seun Osamaye, declared that women across the state were prepared to mobilise massively for Tinubu’s re-election, insisting that a united political structure would be critical to achieving the party’s one-million-vote target.
Osamaye attributed the anticipated support to what she described as significant interventions by the Federal Government and the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, in women’s economic empowerment, education, social inclusion and social protection for vulnerable Nigerians.
She disclosed that Ondo State had benefited from more than 20 interventions under the Renewed Hope initiatives, including the distribution of 10,000 professional kits to nurses and professional healthcare assistants, the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), youth-focused agribusiness programmes and the Every Home Garden initiative.
She added that thousands of women had also benefited from economic empowerment schemes under the President’s Renewed Hope Initiative.
According to her, the interventions had expanded access to government support, particularly for women who previously struggled to benefit from public programmes.
“For the first time, government is not for the privileged few. Many women now benefit without having to beg or lobby,” she said.
The commissioner predicted that the programmes would translate into unprecedented electoral support for Tinubu in Ondo State on January 16, 2027, insisting that women would play a decisive role in delivering the party’s targeted votes.
She also dismissed suggestions of strained relationships among prominent APC women leaders, describing Princess Oladunni Odu, the state’s first female Secretary to the State Government, as a respected political figure with whom she maintained cordial relations.
Recalling their public embrace at the recent presidential campaign rally, Osamaye said their relationship remained cordial, adding that Governor Aiyedatiwa enjoyed the support of party members as the undisputed leader of the APC in the state.
In a related development, APC chieftain, Chief Olusola Oke, dismissed concerns about the possibility of political thuggery ahead of the 2027 elections, declaring that Ondo State remained peaceful and that no opposition party or member had been attacked by political thugs.
Oke acknowledged reports of political violence in other parts of the country but insisted that such developments should not be mistaken for the prevailing political atmosphere in Ondo State.
He commended the media for its vigilance and professionalism, particularly for extending public discussions beyond the recent presidential campaign rally to broader issues concerning Nigeria’s political climate.
While expressing concern over reports of violence elsewhere, Oke attributed some of the tensions to opposition to the Tinubu administration’s reforms and alleged attempts by certain individuals to undermine the electoral process.
He, however, expressed confidence that security agencies would deal decisively with anyone seeking to foment trouble, while commending Governor Aiyedatiwa for maintaining security in the state in his capacity as Chief Security Officer
“At the end of the day, we are going to have the most peaceful election,” he assured.
