Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has warned members of the All Progressives Congress against internal divisions, saying the party’s size and political strength will not guarantee victory in the 2027 elections without unity.
Aiyedatiwa gave the warning on Saturday while inaugurating the Ondo State APC Presidential Election Campaign Council, directorates and sub-committees at the International Culture and Event Centre in Akure, the state capital.
The governor urged party leaders and members to work together to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, drawing lessons from the coalition that brought the APC to power in 2015.
He cautioned that disagreements among party members could undermine its electoral prospects, particularly in Ondo State.
“As large or as big as we are, if we are not together, it will be difficult to win the elections. That is why it’s very, very important that we must remain united,” the governor said.
Aiyedatiwa also urged members to learn from the divisions that weakened the Peoples Democratic Party, stressing that internal cohesion and cooperation would be crucial as the 2027 general elections approach.
He recalled that the APC emerged from an alliance of opposition political forces before the 2015 elections, when it defeated the PDP and secured the presidency.
According to him, retaining political power would enable party members to pursue their individual and community interests.
“It’s only when we retain power, that is when your own individual interests and your community interests can be met. All of us must work together,” he said.
Adelami sets one-million-vote target
Deputy Governor Olayide Adelami called on APC members to intensify grassroots mobilisation, setting a target of one million votes for Tinubu in Ondo State during the 2027 presidential election.
Adelami said achieving the target would require sustained engagement with residents through house-to-house visits, street campaigns and outreach across communities.
He urged women, youths, elders and other groups within the party to participate actively in the mobilisation effort.
The deputy governor described Tinubu as a visionary leader who had fulfilled his promises and expressed confidence that the necessary resources would be made available for the campaign.
He also urged party members to return to their respective constituencies and begin engaging voters ahead of the election.
The one-million-vote figure is the APC’s stated campaign target, not a confirmed projection of the number of votes the party will receive.
Speaker urges leaders to mobilise
The Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, also called on party leaders and members to work towards Tinubu’s re-election.
Oladiji said Ondo State had a record of electoral victories and urged APC members to sustain their efforts by mobilising voters across their respective areas.
He expressed confidence that the state would support the party in 2027 and said Aiyedatiwa had indicated his readiness to support the campaign effort.
Earlier, the state APC chairman, Kolawole Babatunde, charged members of the newly inaugurated committees to reach communities across Ondo State, engage residents and mobilise support for the party’s candidates.
Babatunde linked the party’s one-million-vote target to what he described as the performance of the APC administrations at the state and federal levels.
Infrastructure cited in campaign push
The state APC chairman also pointed to road construction as part of the party’s record, saying the Aiyedatiwa administration had completed more than 50 road projects, with over 50 others ongoing.
He cited figures presented by the state commissioner for infrastructure during the commissioning of the Akure flyover.
The figures were presented as part of the party’s case for support ahead of the elections. A comprehensive, independently verified breakdown of the projects was not provided in the account of Saturday’s inauguration.
The campaign council’s inauguration comes as the APC steps up preparations for the 2027 general elections. At the national level, Tinubu inaugurated the party’s Presidential Campaign Council in Abuja on October 14, with party leaders emphasising unity and coordination ahead of the polls.
The Ondo council is expected to coordinate the party’s presidential campaign activities in the state, while its directorates and sub-committees are tasked with mobilisation and voter engagement.
Aiyedatiwa’s warning places internal unity at the centre of the party’s preparations, as its leaders seek to convert their campaign structure and mobilisation target into electoral support.
