Ondo APC Chairman Denies Leadership Crisis

The Chairman of the Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, Babatunde Kolawole, has denied reports that the party is facing a leadership crisis ahead of the 2027 general election.

Kolawole stated that there is no reason for division in the party. He mentioned that members across the state are actively involved in campaigns to ensure that the party’s candidates win the presidential, National Assembly, and state assembly elections.

Speaking with journalists in Akure on Friday, Kolawole said the party’s efforts to reconcile its members are working well. He insisted that no party member has been left out of the ongoing effort to unite everyone and strengthen the party ahead of the elections.

According to him, members of the Ondo APC are part of the same political family and should not see each other as rivals, especially since there will be no governorship election in the state in 2027.

He said, “There is no rivalry, there is no division in our party. So there is no cause for alarm. I can assure you we are on top of it and everything will be okay.”

The Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign in Ondo State, Victor Olabimtan, also confirmed the party’s unity. He explained that the reconciliation committee set up after the party’s congresses has reached out to party organs, interest groups, and individuals across the country.

He mentioned that the committee has visited Abuja to speak with some party leaders and contacted others in Lagos and different parts of Nigeria. Olabimtan added that he has personally reached out to some party leaders, while Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has made unifying all factions within the party a top priority since taking office as chairman.

“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 emphasized.

Olabimtan noted that President Bola Tinubu’s emergence has given members a chance to set aside their differences and strengthen the party’s unity.

In the same vein, the state Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr Seun Osamaye, expressed the support of women across the state for Tinubu’s re-election. She said a united front and collective efforts are crucial to achieving the one million votes target.

“Ondo women are firmly behind the President and would work together to secure massive votes for him,” Osamaye declared.