Group clash over support for Aiyedatiwa

Ahead of the November 16 governorship election in Ondo State, some All Progressives Congress (APC) groups, under the banner of Ondo Patriots, have announced their support for Otunba Benson Akingboye, the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). The group’s coordinator, Comrade Dele Oyewo, expressed their dissatisfaction in a petition titled “Protest Against Gov. Aiyedatiwa and the Party Approach,” addressed to the APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje. The petition criticized the emergence of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa as the APC candidate, describing it as “questionable” and accusing the national party leadership of backing him despite the “shallow” primaries held in April 2024.

The petition stated that the APC’s leadership in Abuja seemed unconcerned with the welfare of Ondo State’s citizens, prioritizing their own interests over the needs of the state. It also condemned the party for allegedly straying from its principles, particularly in relation to Governor Aiyedatiwa’s candidacy, which the group believed conflicted with the values the APC had championed before the 2015 elections.

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The Ondo Patriots group made it clear that they could not continue supporting the APC under its current leadership and had decided to back Akingboye, whom they described as a member of the APC family with a philosophy aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision for modern politics. They emphasized that Akingboye had consistently recognized Tinubu as a role model in Nigerian politics.

The petition concluded by warning the APC leadership that their actions could provoke unrest in Ondo State. The group also stated that even if Governor Aiyedatiwa were declared the winner of the election, his removal from office was inevitable, and they urged their supporters not to waste their votes.