By Ade Oyeyemi
The Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has rejected a reported arrangement by the Rainbow Coalition to support President Bola Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election while backing candidates from other parties for legislative seats.
The ruling party said it expected anyone supporting Tinubu’s presidential bid to also support APC candidates seeking election to the Senate, House of Representatives and Ondo State House of Assembly.
The position was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the APC State Secretary, Alex Kalejaye.
Kalejaye said the state chapter was concerned about the reported strategy, which could see supporters of Tinubu vote for candidates on different political platforms in other contests.
He said the APC in Ondo would campaign for Tinubu alongside its candidates for the three senatorial districts, nine federal constituencies and 26 state constituencies.
According to him, the party’s commitment to its candidates remained firm and would not be compromised ahead of the 2027 elections.
Kalejaye also clarified that the Ondo APC had no agreement with former members who left the party to contest elections under other platforms.
He urged party members to remain committed to the APC and warned against activities that could undermine the chances of its candidates at the polls.
The state secretary further cautioned members against political engagements with opposition parties or candidates, saying such alliances could create divisions within the APC as preparations for the elections intensify.
He said the party was focused on strengthening its structures and mobilising its members across the state as it targets at least one million votes in the 2027 elections.
The APC expressed concern that a split-ticket arrangement in which Tinubu receives support from the coalition at the presidential level while legislative candidates from other parties are backed could confuse voters and complicate the party’s campaign strategy.
The development highlights the competing approaches among political groups ahead of the 2027 elections, particularly over whether support for presidential candidates should extend to candidates contesting other positions on the same or different platforms.
