By Dayo Johnson, Akure & Nnamdi Ojiego
Confusion is brewing inside the Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as tensions rise between Governor Fortunate Aiyedatiwa and key supporters of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the governor’s controversial transfer to break down all pro-Tinubu help teams right into a single construction forward of the 2027 presidential election.
Over the weekend, Aiyedatiwa convened an emergency assembly of the APC State Leaders’ Caucus on the Authorities Home in Akure, the place he unveiled a unified marketing campaign platform, Ondo State for Tinubu 2027, which he declared as the only real umbrella physique for all help teams canvassing for Tinubu’s re-election.
In response to the governor, the transfer was geared toward strengthening the celebration’s inner cohesion and eliminating parallel political buildings.
Nonetheless, the directive has sparked backlash from a number of grassroots Tinubu loyalists, who see the event as an influence seize by the governor to consolidate management over celebration equipment forward of the 2028 governorship race.
Aiyedatiwa’s internal circle is reportedly cautious of the rising affect of impartial Tinubu-aligned teams just like the Grassroots Motion for Tinubu (GMT), Asiwaju Mandate Group, and PBAT Continuity Challenge, suspecting rival politicians might leverage them to problem his authority post-2027.
Social gathering insiders revealed that the governor’s resolution was a strategic transfer to “clip the wings” of those teams. “It was a coup,” mentioned one aide, who confirmed that the invitation to the assembly was personally signed by the governor, a sign of the urgency and private stake within the subject.
However resistance got here swiftly. In an announcement signed by Ilesanmi Adeyeye, Coordinator of Acutely aware Ondo State Residents, a coalition of Tinubu supporters, the group condemned the governor’s directive as “tone deaf” and “essentially flawed.”
They accused Aiyedatiwa of hypocrisy, mentioning that he had himself relied on quite a few help teams similar to LACO FS, Fortunate Disciples, and O Datiwa Group throughout his personal marketing campaign.
The group additionally took subject with what it described as a “reckless and divisive” assertion by the governor, allegedly focusing on members of the GMT, implying that being raised in a spot doesn’t entitle one to political belonging. They demanded an apology and known as on the nationwide and zonal management of the APC to intervene and stop what they see as a brewing intra-party disaster.
“The help teams should not the issue. They’re the energy of our democratic outreach,” Adeyeye acknowledged. “We stand for inclusion. We stand for precept. We stand with Tinubu.”
Regardless of the criticism, Aiyedatiwa stays resolute. Addressing celebration leaders, he known as for unity and declared that every one political actions within the state should now be channelled by means of the central celebration construction below the brand new platform. “There’s no governorship election right here in 2027,” he famous. “Our job is singular: ship an awesome victory for President Tinubu.”
On the assembly, prime celebration figures throughout the state, together with senators, present and former legislators, and celebration chieftains, unanimously endorsed Tinubu’s re-election bid.
In the meantime, Dr. Taiwo Fasoranti and Mrs. Roseline Okafor have been appointed to coordinate the brand new platform’s secretariat.
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