Ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) congresses, palpable tension is building within the party in Ondo State, following threats by a cross section of stakeholders who have threatened to boycott the exercise over alleged attempts by loyalists of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to hijack the process.
Of more concern is the reported resolve of some powerful Abuja-based forces who are poised to conduct a parallel exercise in the state.
According to the timetable released by the national leadership of the APC, the congresses are scheduled to commence from the 18th day of February commencing with the conduct of ward congresses nationwide.
Party sources alleged that loyalists of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, including members of his cabinet and the 18 local government chairmen, have allegedly drawn up lists of prospective ward, local government and state party executives without the input of other critical blocs within the party.
Those sidelined according to sources in the party include supporters of the late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, members of the State and National Assemblies, the two ministers from the state, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and Engr. Olawande Ayodele as well as other key party leaders.
However, the state governor, through his Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, has dismissed the allegations, insisting that no party leader in the state was excluded from the process.
He told Newsmen that ward leaders were responsible for selecting their officers through a consensus process.
When asked specifically about the alleged exclusion of stakeholders, Adeniyan said, “Not true. All ward leaders are responsible for selecting their officers through consensus. That of my ward was done yesterday, and all the leaders in the ward signed. Nobody has been excluded,” he insisted.
It could not be independently confirmed; but reports have it that the National Vice Chairman of the APC in the South West, Dr Isaac Kekemeke who hails from Ondo State, is also not involved in the alleged compilation of the list of potential exco members.
A leader of the party who craved anonymity told our correspondent that the compilation of the list was coordinated by Governor Aiyedatiwa’s Special Adviser on Legislative and Party Affairs, Hon Babatunde Kolawole.
He said: “the party at the national level must pay closer attention to Ondo State. Crisis is brewing, and if care is not taken, it may split the party and negatively affect its chances in the 2027 general elections”.
He added that many party leaders are deeply dissatisfied with what they described as the governor’s move to exert total control over the party’s structure.
“Several party leaders are unhappy with the way the governor is trying to dominate the party. The reason this crisis is not yet in the public domain is that most of the aggrieved leaders are staunch loyalists of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and they do not want anything that could jeopardise the President’s re-election bid.
“The national headquarters is already aware of the situation within the party in Ondo state; and from the way loyalists of the governor are going about it, founding fathers of the party as well as other critical stakeholders are in the dark.
“How can the Governor direct his commissioners to compile exco list for us who brought the APC to the state? We were beaten, insulted and despised for aligning with APC when the party started.
“But what we are seeing today is a situation whereby the governor has imposed his inexperienced commissioners as leaders over those of us who toiled day and night in 2013 to give birth to what we are enjoying today.
“If necessary steps are not taken by appropriate leaders urgently, we are already going the way of organising parallel congresses in the state.”
The development is also believed to be connected to the ongoing cold political rivalry between Governor Aiyedatiwa and the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, over party supremacy in Ondo State.
Tunji-Ojo, who is regarded as a major financier of several support groups working towards President Tinubu’s re-election, is being accused by loyalists of the governor as hiding under those support groups to “outshine” the governor.
Another party source who described the calm within the party as deceptive, stated: “to the general public, the APC in Ondo State may appear peaceful, but the truth is that all is not well. If the governor refuses to concede some party executive positions to other leaders, parallel congresses are inevitable. Ultimately, the courts may be left to decide which Congress is authentic,” the source said.
The source called on the national leadership of the APC to urgently intervene, warning that failure to do so could see the party head into the next election as a deeply divided political family.
“We hope the national leadership of the party will ensure fairness and allow free and credible congresses. That remains the only way to insulate the party from crisis and strengthen its prospects ahead of the 2027 general elections,” he said.
