By Adegbaju Temitope 

Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa and leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State on Monday dismissed claims of crisis within the party, insisting that the state chapter remains united as it prepares for its state congress scheduled to hold on Tuesday.

Addressing stakeholders and party members at a meeting held at the APC state secretariat in Akure ahead of the exercise, Governor Aiyedatiwa described reports of tension within the party as largely fuelled by social media narratives, stressing that the reality on ground reflects a peaceful and cohesive chapter.

He commended members of the APC State Congress Committee who earlier conducted the ward and local government congresses, acknowledging that while the ward congress initially posed challenges due to the number of wards involved, the issues were resolved and the process concluded successfully.

According to him, the local government congress recorded even greater improvement, and he expressed confidence that the state congress would surpass previous exercises in orderliness and success.

The governor noted that disagreements and competing interests are normal in any human organisation, including political parties and even families, but maintained that such differences should not be interpreted as conflict.

Reiterating that “we are not at war,” he assured committee members and delegates of adequate security and protection throughout the congress.

He also reaffirmed the party’s long-standing culture of consensus in electing its executives since 2014, aligning the state chapter’s approach with the leadership philosophy of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whom he described as a strong advocate of orderliness, ranking and party leadership.

Also speaking, the South-West National Vice Chairman of the APC, Isaac Kekemeke, said the stakeholders’ meeting reflected fair representation of the party’s leadership across the 18 local government areas of the state, including those in and outside government.

He stated that consensus had defined the APC in Ondo State since its formation in 2014, recalling that in 2014 only the office of chairman was contested and that even his opponent later became his deputy, while other positions were filled by consensus.

He added that similar approaches were adopted in 2018 and 2022, stressing that the party had never elected its executives through ballot voting in the state since inception.

Kekemeke urged members of the National Working Committee panels to disregard social media reports suggesting crisis within the state chapter, maintaining that disagreements arising from personal political aspirations are natural in party politics and should not be elevated to the level of conflict.

According to him, there can only be one leader of the party in the state at a time, identifying the governor as the party leader.

He also addressed rumours concerning his relationship with Governor Aiyedatiwa, saying his support for the governor was not based on personal gain and citing past political contests, including his own against the governor in 2024, as evidence that political differences do not necessarily translate into hostility.

On reports of a court order allegedly restraining the conduct of Tuesday’s congress, Kekemeke said the party was not relying on any social media court order, noting that the national secretariat had yet to issue any directive regarding such claims.

Earlier, Chairman of the APC State Congress Committee, Comrade Ogonna Obiekwe, said the committee was in the state to conduct the congress that would produce 36 working committee members to pilot the affairs of the party for the next four years.

He described the task as serious business and assured party members of a free, fair and credible exercise guided by the party’s constitution, the Electoral Act 2022 (as amended), and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The committee’s Secretary, Hon. Shittu Bamayi, outlined the modalities for the congress, stating that accreditation of delegates would commence at 8 a.m. at designated centres across the 18 local government areas, with delegates required to present their party membership slips.

He explained that the congress would be conducted through a voice vote under a consensus arrangement and assured members of the committee’s impartiality and strict adherence to the party constitution and relevant electoral laws.

In their goodwill messages, the Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji, alongside party chieftains Dr. Tunji Abayomi and Princess Omowunmi Olatunji-Ohwovoriole, commended the various congress committees for their efforts and urged party members to embrace the outcome of Tuesday’s exercise in the interest of unity and stability within the party.