Barely a week to the All Progressives Congress (APC) ward congresses, the Ondo State chapter of the party is engulfed in a fresh leadership crisis, with some stakeholders threatening to boycott the exercise and organise parallel primaries.
The ward congresses, scheduled nationwide for February 18, 2026, are expected to pave the way for the emergence of new party executives from the ward to the state level.
According to party sources, there are alleged attempts by loyalists of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to hijack and control the process. Those reportedly sidelined include supporters of former Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, members of the State and National Assemblies, the state’s two ministers—Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and Olawande Ayodele—and other influential party leaders.
Concerned stakeholders, speaking anonymously, warned that the situation, if unaddressed, could undermine the party’s internal cohesion in Ondo State.
Multiple sources said Abuja-based politicians with deep roots in Ondo are mobilising to conduct a parallel congress if the national leadership fails to rein in what they describe as “high-handedness” by the governor’s inner caucus.
One source, claiming that a close aide to the governor coordinated the compilation of executive lists, said:
“The party at the national level must pay closer attention to the state.
A crisis is brewing, and if care is not taken, it may split the party and negatively affect its chances in the 2027 general elections. What we are seeing today is a situation whereby the governor has imposed his inexperienced commissioners as leaders over those of us who toiled day and night in 2013 to build this party. If necessary steps are not taken urgently, we are already heading towards parallel congresses.”
The development is also believed to stem from an ongoing political rivalry between the governor and the Minister of Interior, who is regarded as a major financier of support groups backing President Tinubu’s re-election.
Another source described the party’s calm as deceptive:
“To the public, the APC in Ondo may appear peaceful, but all is not well. If the governor refuses to concede some executive positions, parallel congresses are inevitable. Ultimately, the courts may have to decide which congress is authentic.”
However, the Director of Media and Publicity of the Ondo APC, Steve Otaloro, dismissed the claims of a parallel congress. He said:
“For the avoidance of doubt, there is no division, no faction, and certainly no plan or possibility of a parallel congress within the APC in Ondo State. Such a development is completely alien to the culture, discipline, and democratic traditions of our great party.”
Otaloro reaffirmed the governor’s leadership of the party in the state, stating:
“His Excellency, Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, is the undisputed leader of the APC in Ondo State, just as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains the national leader.
The party’s leadership structure is well defined, respected, and firmly rooted in constitutional provisions and party supremacy, which all members are duty-bound to uphold.”
He further dismissed allegations of imposed executive lists as false and lacking credibility, adding that the APC operates through established procedures that encourage inclusiveness, consultation, and consensus-building at all levels.
Credit: Guardian
