Governor of Ondo State, Dr Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, on Monday dispelled reports of internal wrangling within the All Progressives Congress in the state, declaring that the party remains united ahead of its state congress slated for Tuesday.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ parley held at the party’s secretariat in Akure, the governor described claims of crisis as exaggerated accounts amplified on social media, insisting that the Ondo chapter of the APC is stable and cohesive.
Aiyedatiwa lauded members of the State Congress Committee for the conduct of the ward and local government congresses. He admitted that the ward exercise initially faced logistical pressures due to the large number of wards but noted that the challenges were addressed, leading to a successful outcome.
He added that the local government congress recorded noticeable improvements, expressing confidence that the forthcoming state congress would be more seamless and orderly.
The governor maintained that differing interests and aspirations were natural in political organisations, cautioning against interpreting such differences as hostility. He assured delegates and committee officials of adequate security and a conducive environment during the exercise.
Reiterating the party’s tradition of consensus, Aiyedatiwa said the APC in Ondo had consistently adopted that model in choosing its executives since 2014. He noted that the approach aligns with the leadership philosophy of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whom he described as an advocate of party discipline and structured leadership.
Also speaking, the South-West National Vice Chairman of the APC, Dr Isaac Kekemeke, said the meeting demonstrated broad-based representation from across the 18 local government areas of the state.
Kekemeke stressed that consensus had remained the hallmark of the party’s internal processes in Ondo since its inception. He recalled that during the 2014 congress, only the chairmanship position was contested, while other offices were filled without ballot voting — a pattern he said was repeated in subsequent congresses held in 2018 and 2022.
He urged members of the National Working Committee panels to ignore online narratives suggesting division within the state chapter, adding that political competition arising from personal ambitions should not be mistaken for crisis.
According to him, leadership within the party in the state rests with the governor,
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