2027: Aiyedatiwa denies backing opposition candidates against APC

The Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has declared zero tolerance for anti-party activities in the ruling All Progressives Congress in the state ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The governor was recently accused by some members of the party of supporting former aggrieved APC members who had defected to opposition parties ahead of the 2027 elections. However, he denied involvement in any anti-party activity, describing the allegation as a falsehood.

Speaking on Monday at a stakeholders’ meeting with APC local government and ward chairmen in Akure, the state capital, Aiyedatiwa said some political detractors were spreading rumours that he was supporting candidates against the APC.

He declared that the allegation was untrue.

“Some people are spreading falsehoods against me. I did not ask any candidate to contest in any other party; it is all lies.

Those accusing me are naysayers, blackmailers and slanderers.

“I have zero tolerance for anti-party activities. I have never engaged in anti-party activities in my life. So, no to anti-party activities. Let’s support Mr President and all the candidates of our party,” he said.

Charging the 18 local government and 203 ward chairmen of the APC to move to the grassroots and deliver victory for the party in the forthcoming elections, Aiyedatiwa described them as critical components of the party’s structure and electoral machinery.

He stressed that elections were won at polling units, located within the wards, placing a major responsibility on ward chairmen to determine the party’s fortunes.

“Elections are won at the polling units, and the polling units are right there in the wards, and you are the ward chairmen. Very, very important. You are occupying a significant role in the party structure,” he charged.

The governor directed the ward chairmen and secretaries to hold regular meetings and bring together party leaders in their respective wards to deliberate on party affairs and preparations for the elections, emphasising that mobilisation must be the major focus of such meetings.

He, however, warned that such meetings must not be accompanied by anti-party activities.

In his welcome address, the state chairman of the APC, Babatunde Kolawole, called for total loyalty to Aiyedatiwa and the party, saying loyalty to the governor as the party’s leader was the right thing to do.

He urged the chairmen to support all APC candidates, saying the governor had directed the party to achieve 100 per cent support for its candidates.

Kolawole commended the governor for approving ward meetings to strengthen the party at the grassroots and for increasing the allowances of ward and local government chairmen by 100 per cent, noting that the state party executives also received an increment.