Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Monday rallied the support of all members of the ruling All Progressives Congress in the state behind the reelection bid of President Bola Tinubu, and the victory of other candidates of the party in the 2027 elections.
The governor, who is the party’s leader in the state, declared emphatically that the ‘APC is one, and it would grow bigger, and stronger, spoke at APC Elders Council meeting at the Government House, Akure.
He also unveiled the party’s mobilisation plan for the 2027 general elections, declaring that the party has only one structure in the state and must operate as one indivisible political family.
He directed the activation of the council across the 18 local government areas and charged party structures to work together for victory.
Also, he urged members to support all APC candidates contesting elections at the federal and state levels, saying the development of Ondo State, the success of his administration and the party’s electoral prospects are intertwined and require the collective support of elders, women, youths and other members.
Warning against attempts to factionalise the party, he said such moves must not be allowed to distract members from its political objectives.
His words, “APC is one. There are no two APCs in Ondo State. APC is one, All Progressives Congress.”
However, Aiyedatiwa waved the olive branch saying that those attempting to create another faction of the Elders Council remain members of the APC and should be brought back into the fold.
He said, “We don’t want to leave anybody out. Even those who are trying to create another faction, we are talking to them that APC must remain one.”
He said the development of the state rests on his shoulders as the elected governor but stressed that he cannot accomplish it alone.
According to him, “I need the support of everyone: the elders, the women, the youth, everyone.”
Stressing citizens’ participation in governance, he urged members to offer advice and support rather than encourage division.
He said the APC remains the vehicle through which members can pursue political offices, stressing that the paramount interest of any political party is to secure or retain power.
The governor urged members to cooperate with the state chairman and activate all structures of the party.
He said elders’ contributions are critical to the success of his administration and directed that the Elders Council be replicated across the 18 local government areas.
Also, he said local government meetings would make it easier for elders to participate without travelling far from home, while state-level meetings could be held quarterly or half-yearly.
Rallying support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he said the only way to support the President at this stage is to unite and vote for him in the next election.
He credited Tinubu’s reforms with increasing the resources available to states to execute projects and programmes, describing the President as “very courageous” and “very bold” in taking decisions which, he said, are helping the country and states to develop.
The governor, however, stressed that the mobilisation must cover all APC candidates contesting the Senate, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly elections.
He said the party must operate across its 18 local governments, 203 wards and 3,933 polling units.
“The first thing is to bring everybody together under one umbrella; the umbrella of APC. We have only one party and we have only one chairman,” he said.
Governor Aiyedatiwa also highlighted the record of his administration, disclosing that more than 6,000 personnel had been recruited into the state government since he became governor.
He said the recruitment included primary and secondary school teachers, health workers, agricultural workers and primary healthcare personnel, adding that ad-hoc health workers had also been converted to full-time employees.
He also disclosed the recruitment of about 500 additional personnel for Amotekun.
On infrastructure, the governor said road construction is ongoing in all 18 local government areas, alongside urban renewal projects and the iconic Akure flyover.
In the health sector, he listed a 250-bed hospital in Ondo town, 100-bed facilities in Okitipupa and Ikare and another 100-bed facility in Irele.l, adding that the contractors have been mobilised to site.
He added that hospital equipment had also been procured for various hospitals, particularly the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH),l which got an MRI machine and CT scan, noting that Ondo State had never purchased an MRI machine since its creation.
Speaking, APC State Chairman, Hon. Kolawole Babatunde, said the experience of elders remain essential to the party, noting that the current State Working Committee is relatively young compared with those who built the party from the Alliance for Democracy through the Action Congress to the APC.
He said the APC constitution recognises the Elders Council as an integral part of the party structure, with responsibilities including ensuring stability, offering advice, initiating policies, regulating proceedings and formulating a code of conduct.
Babatunde said the party would make greater progress by securing the elders’ input.
He said the achievements of the Aiyedatiwa’s administration in infrastructure, health, security and water would provide the APC with issues to campaign with ahead of the elections.
Earlier, Chairman of the APC Elders Council, Senator Nimbe Farukanmi, called for unity among members and urged them to support Governor Aiyedatiwa and President Tinubu.
Farukanmi described the meeting as an important opportunity for leaders and members from the three senatorial districts to reconnect and deliberate on the progress of the state.
He urged members to work together and avoid misunderstanding, describing Aiyedatiwa as an open-minded leader who had reached out to him on issues concerning cooperation among party leaders.
Also speaking, party elders, includijg Senator Tayo Alasoadura, Hon. Joseph Akinlaja, Pastor Segun Ayerin and Mrs Jumoke Anifowose-Ajasin, commended the governor and party chairman for the meeting, describing it as timely and thoughtful.
The elders identified keys areas that need attention in the party and urged members to rally round all the candidates of the APC for total victory in the 2027 general elections.
Those in attendance included the Deputy Governor, Dr Olayide Adelami; former Deputy Governors, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, Otunba Omolade Oluwateru and Alhaji Abdulazeez Oluboyo; Chairman of the Governor’s Advisory Council, Chief Pius Akinyelure; Vice Chairman of the APC Elders Council, Alhaji Jamiu Ekungba; Executive Director of Corporate Services, Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde; Chief Olusola Oke, among others.
