— “Ondo cannot afford endless political crisis,” Forum declares
The Ondo Mandate Elders Forum has stepped into the rising tension between Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and the Minister of Interior, Hon. Bunmi Tunji-Ojo, with a strong call for peace and reconciliation.
At a meeting held Wednesday at the Akure residence of the Forum’s leader, Chief Erastus Akeju, the elders resolved to summon both Aiyedatiwa and Tunji-Ojo to the table for dialogue.
The meeting, which has Chief Akeju as the leader of the forum, had in attendance leaders of the party as well as some past political appointees in the state.
Those at the meeting included Chief Erastus Akeju (Chairman), Hon. Demola Ijabiyi (Facilitator), Sehinde Kumuyi (former Chief Judge), Princess Oladunni Odu, Pastor Femi Agagu, Chief Bailey Arohunmolase, Hon. Ebenezer Alabi, Chief Korede Duyile.
Others were Chief Femi Bakare, Senator Yele Omogunwa, Chief Olabisi Johnson, Princess Bukky Abike Oluderu, Hon. Mayowa Akinfolarin, Hon. Samuel Aderoboye, and Hon. Nimbe Tawose.
Chief Ademola Ijabiyi, who facilitated the gathering, told journalists shortly after the meeting that the elders would no longer sit idle while political rifts fester in the state.
“We cannot watch things degenerate into a full-blown crisis. Governor Aiyedatiwa is our governor, Bunmi Tunji-Ojo is our son too. Both of them are leaders of this state. We will call them and we will insist on peace,” Ijabiyi said.
According to him, the newly inaugurated forum is designed to provide stability and cohesion for the ruling party and the state at large.
“This is the first time elders are coming together under one central platform in Ondo. Whenever there is a crisis, we will intervene. Our role is to troubleshoot, to calm nerves, and to ensure unity. That is what leadership means,” he added.
Ijabiyi stressed that beyond internal party issues, the Forum would also serve as a strong support base for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, insisting that Ondo State must deliver “absolute figures” in future elections.
“Ondo is Tinubu’s base. We have nearly two million registered voters. We should not settle for percentages; we should deliver in numbers. Our elders remain political influencers in their communities, and we are determined to mobilize that strength,” he said.
He added that the elders were committed to standing firmly behind the president’s second-term ambition.
“President Tinubu has always had Ondo State solidly behind him. In the last election, we gave him over 60 percent of the votes. Next time, we are not just talking about percentages — we are talking about crossing the one-million-vote mark,” Ijabiyi declared.
Chief Akeju also weighed in, stressing that the forum’s objective is not only reconciliation at home but also ensuring Ondo delivers big for Tinubu at the national level.
“The goodwill is already there. Our job as elders is to mobilize it, channel it, and guarantee that Ondo State remains one of the strongest pillars of support for President Tinubu’s re-election,” Akeju said.
The Forum emphasized that youths would also be carried along, but warned that any group attempting to cause instability would be called to order.
