As Leaders Gather at NUJ Press Centre, They Dismiss Division and Affirm One Party, One Purpose

Reconciliation Embraces Every Tendency, Women Promise One Million Votes, Peace Assured for Polls

Unity, gratitude, and confidence defined the mood when leaders of the Ondo State All Progressives Congress met journalists at the NUJ Press Centre in Akure.

Present at the briefing were the State Chairman, Hon. Kolawole Babatunde; the Director General of the State Presidential Campaign Council, Rt. Hon. Victor Olabimtan; the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr. Seun Osamaye; the State Women Leader; APC chieftain, Chief Olusola Oke; the Chairman, Media and Strategic Communication, Kenneth Odusola-Stevenson, who is also the DG/CEO, OSRC Media Group; the Chief Press Secretary / Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Prince Ebenezar Adeniyan; and other members of the Media and Strategic Communication Committee.

Together, they presented a common position ahead of the 2027 general election: Ondo APC is intact, its members are working together, and its focus is victory for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and every APC candidate on the ballot.

Opening the session, the State Chairman, Hon. Kolawole Babatunde, expressed appreciation to leaders, members, and supporters who contributed to the success of the recent presidential campaign rally.

He described the presence of Vice President Kashim Shettima, who stood in for the President, as a mark of honour for Ondo State and proof of the confidence the Presidency reposes in the state.

According to the Chairman, the large turnout and orderly conduct at the rally reflected the dedication of the entire party family, not the effort of a small group.

He then addressed speculation about internal cracks directly, stating that the Ondo APC has no factions.

In his explanation, members of the party belong to one political household, united by loyalty to the Renewed Hope Agenda, loyalty to President Tinubu, and loyalty to the leadership of Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa.

“There is no rivalry. There is no cause for alarm. I can assure you we are on top of it and everything will be okay,” Babatunde said.

He added that the absence of a governorship contest in Ondo in 2027, coupled with President Tinubu’s position as the party’s sole presidential candidate, leaves no ground for contest or division.

The Chairman also thanked President Tinubu and the APC National Chairman for their support, and acknowledged the Senate Leader, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, alongside other faithful who helped make the campaign outing successful.

Taking the same position, the Director General of the State Presidential Campaign Council, Rt. Hon. Victor Olabimtan, said Ondo has no reason for rivalry in the presidential and National Assembly races.

He attributed the position to a direct message from President Tinubu that Ondo has no governorship election in 2027.

Olabimtan described that situation as an advantage, because it frees the party from ticket struggles and personal ambitions that often create friction, allowing full concentration on the presidential and legislative contests.

He revealed that the reconciliation committee set up after the party congress has engaged organs, groups, and individuals in Abuja, Lagos, and other locations.

He pointed to the attendance of previously estranged leaders, including Wale Akinterinwa and Princess Oladunni Odu, at the rally as visible proof that reconciliation is working.

Olabimtan said he has personally contacted several leaders, while Governor Aiyedatiwa has treated the unification of all tendencies as a central duty.

“Nobody is left out. All we need to do is to ensure that we put more effort into strengthening the existing unity that we are all enjoying in the party today. As we make progress, you will also see that our efforts, the efforts of the governor, the party and its leaders are indeed yielding fruits to ensure that everybody is brought on board,” he said.

He expressed assurance that this cohesion would produce victory for the President, senators, and House of Representatives members.

The Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr. Seun Osamaye, also spoke in support of the unity message, pledging the commitment of women across Ondo to the President’s re-election and to the one million votes target.

She linked the expected support to interventions of the Federal Government and the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, in empowerment, education, inclusion, and protection for vulnerable groups.

Osamaye stated that Ondo has gained from over 20 Renewed Hope interventions, including 10,000 professional kits for nurses and healthcare assistants, the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, youth agribusiness support, and the Every Home Garden initiative.

“For the first time, government is not for the privileged few. Many women now benefit without having to beg or lobby,” she said.

She dismissed claims of friction among leaders, described Princess Oladunni Odu as a respected leader with whom she enjoys a cordial relationship, and described Governor Aiyedatiwa as the undisputed leader of the APC in the state.

APC chieftain, Chief Olusola Oke, also addressed security concerns, maintaining that Ondo remains peaceful and that no opposition figure or party has faced attack.

He praised the media for professionalism and vigilance, and argued that reports of thuggery in other states do not describe Ondo, where broad support for President Tinubu removes any incentive for violence.

While noting that disagreement is natural in a diverse nation, Oke said isolated incidents must not destroy the calm needed for credible polls.

“At the end of the day, we are going to have the most peaceful election,” he assured.

The presence of the State Women Leader, the Chairman of Media and Strategic Communication, Kenneth Odusola-Stevenson, the Chief Press Secretary / Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Prince Ebenezar Adeniyan, and other members of the Media and Strategic Communication Committee underscored the coordinated communication and mobilisation drive behind the unity message.

The leaders closed by calling on members to preserve the rally spirit, deepen grassroots mobilisation, and take the message of hope to every ward and community, confident that a united Ondo APC would secure a victory equal to its history and equal to the trust placed in it.