Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire, SAN, representing Ondo Central Senatorial District, has stirred the political waters in Ondo State with a bold declaration that he welcomes competition within the All Progressives Congress (APC), urging his supporters not to attack fellow party members eyeing his Senate seat.
Speaking over the weekend at his constituency office on Oba Adesida Road, Akure, Adegbonmire made it clear that internal democracy must be respected and upheld, no matter how heated the pre-primary politics becomes.
“I am a democrat. It is not a crime for others to aspire to this office,” Adegbonmire said, addressing a gathering of loyal supporters.
“We must never see fellow party members as enemies simply because they want to contest. That is undemocratic and against the spirit of progressivism.”
In a striking departure from the usual intra-party mudslinging that characterizes primary seasons, Adegbonmire warned his camp against launching attacks on potential challengers within the APC.
“It is actually a bad sign if no one contests against you. We must embrace competition. What matters is the collective progress of our senatorial district and the unity of our party after the primaries,” he emphasized.
Invoking the political legacy of his late father, a known progressive, the senator cautioned against factionalism and toxic loyalty, urging supporters to prioritize the APC’s victory above personal allegiance.
“When the primaries are done, we must all come together again, no matter who wins. That is the only way to ensure our party’s success in 2027,” Adegbonmire said.
With the 2027 general elections drawing closer and power blocs already forming within the APC, Adegbonmire’s remarks have been interpreted in some quarters as both a preemptive warning and a challenge to potential opponents — staking his claim while drawing the battle line with civility.
