By Steve Otaloro
The release of the final list of candidates by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is an important milestone in our preparations for the 2027 general elections. As expected in a democracy, we have seen individuals who previously belonged to the All Progressives Congress (APC), or who contested the party’s internal nomination processes, emerge as candidates of other political parties.
This is not unusual in a competitive political environment, and the APC is neither surprised nor unduly worried by it.
The emergence of some of our former party members outside the APC is a development we acknowledge. Similarly, there are other individuals who participated in the APC nomination process but subsequently chose to pursue their political ambitions under different platforms.
However, it would be an overstatement to conclude that the presence of former APC members on the ballot automatically translates into a significant threat to the APC.
Elections are ultimately won by votes, organisation, credibility, candidates and the confidence of the electorate, not simply by the number of political parties or former members appearing on the ballot.
The APC remains the governing party in Ondo State and has a formidable political structure across the state’s 18 local government areas. More importantly, the party is entering the election with the advantage of incumbency, an established grassroots network, experienced political leaders and a record of governance that it intends to take directly to the people.
The fact that somebody previously belonged to the APC does not mean that every member of the party’s structure, every supporter or every voter will automatically follow that individual to another political platform.
That is an important distinction.
A candidate may have personal popularity, relationships and supporters, but an election is fought across wards, polling units, local governments and constituencies. Political structures matter, and the APC is working to ensure that its structures remain cohesive, mobilised and focused.
Where there are genuine grievances arising from the nomination process, the appropriate response is not to pretend that they do not exist. The responsibility of the party leadership is to continue engaging stakeholders, reconcile differences where possible and ensure that every member understands that the larger objective is bigger than individual ambitions.
This is exactly what Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa has been doing through the constitution of a reconciliation committee, with the objective of ensuring that every member is reconciled and brought together ahead of the election. The ultimate goal is to strengthen the party’s unity and enable Ondo State to deliver the one million votes promised to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 election.
The APC will therefore continue to reach out to its members, former aspirants, stakeholders and supporters. Nobody should be regarded as permanently lost simply because political circumstances have taken them elsewhere. Politics is dynamic, and there remains room for reconciliation, dialogue and cooperation.
At the same time, we respect the constitutional right of every Nigerian to belong to and contest elections under any political party of his or her choice. We will not attack anybody for exercising that democratic right.
But we are equally confident that the electorate will ultimately decide which candidates and which political party deserve their mandate.
In Ondo State, the APC will campaign on the strength of its record, its programmes, its candidates and its commitment to the people. The administration of Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa has demonstrated a clear commitment to development, public engagement and responsive governance, and the government will continue to communicate its policies and achievements directly to the people.
The emergence of candidates from other parties should therefore be seen within the broader context of democratic competition rather than portrayed as evidence of an APC collapse.
Indeed, the final INEC list shows that the APC has candidates across all nine federal constituencies in Ondo State. That demonstrates that the party has not abandoned any electoral space and remains fully prepared for the contest.
Our message to APC members is simple: remain calm, remain united and remain focused.
2027 will not be determined by headlines, social-media narratives or the number of former APC members contesting on other platforms. It will be determined by the votes of the people.
And the APC is preparing to earn those votes.
Steve Otaloro is the Senior Special Assistant to the Ondo State Governor on Public Engagement
