Ayodele Bamidele

In the Beginning

The ward, local and state congresses of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC in Ondo state are becoming part of political history of the state. The blood stained, exercise, especially the local governments congress where lives were lost and properties destroyed all because of power, has also gone down in the history of the state as one of the deadliest event.

The story of the APC in Ondo state has been that of a well organized and focused political party, being led by thorough bred leaders until recently when things started to fall apart. One very clear fact is that Aiyedatiwa is still nursing the grudge against those he perceived to have had hand in his botched impeachment in 2023, while serving as a deputy to late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

From day one he was inaugurated as Governor after winning the 2024 election, his mission is very clear, to put his loyalists into positions where they will be able to work to secure another term for him after four years. Governor Aiyedatiwa sees other political office holders in the state, especially minister of interior, Bunmi Tunji -Ojo as arch rival waiting to oust him from office.

The governor said in a recent interview that he has no grudge against the minister, but relationship between them has not been rosy. In his attempt to put his cronies into party offices during last Congress, the governor organized a parallel stakeholders meeting where his annoited candidates were endorsed.

An attempt by the former chairman of the party, Ade Adetimehin to rally elders for another meeting led to chaos as leaders were beaten to stupor by suspected thugs that allegedly have backing of government. Adetimehin, Otito Atikase and a host of other leaders were attacked when the thugs stormed their meeting at the party Secretariat in Akure.

Congress proper
Violence and protests marred the ward congress of the All Progressives Congress with not less than three persons hospitalized for sustaining serious injuries in Idanre Local Government Area. One of them described as a junior brother of the state APC chairman was later confirmed dead.

According to eyewitness accounts, the victims were allegedly attacked as supporters of rival two leaders from the area tried to install their supporters as ward executives. The state police command confirmed the incident.

For the state congress where members of the State Working Committee, SWC were to be picked, three persons from Akoko area of the state that earlier showed interest for the Chairmanship position were reduced to one. They are former Speaker Victor Olabimtan,and Ganny Dauda. A former member of the House of Representatives, Kolawole Baba tunde, who later emerged unopposed during a Congress presided over by Aiyedatiwa was never in the know.

The National Secretariat of APC reacting to the Congress, held despite court order stopping it, declared that it directed Ondo Congress Committee to stand down in compliance with the interim order of the Federal High Court restraining the conduct and recognition of its congresses in Ondo State.

APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Bashiru, insisted that the ruling party remains law-abiding despite disagreeing with the court’s decision.

According to him, the party immediately directed its congress committee in Ondo State to halt further actions upon becoming aware of the court order.

“We woke up to a court order by the Federal High Court, and as a law-abiding party, we directed our team in that place to wait until the order is vacated or there is a contrary order from the court,” Bashiru said.

“We are not a party of illegality. Even though we believe that the court order ought not to have been granted to restrain the holding of the congress because it is not a perishable item, when there is a positive order of court, you must respect it.

“You must respect it, even when you file an application to set it aside, unless there is a statutory provision to the contrary.

“So we are obeying the court order, but of course we are going to challenge that order for it to be vacated,” he said.

Governor Aiyedatiwa too has made a u turn saying the outcome of the Congress is yet to be made public by the leadership of the party. “We had our congress at the ward level, the local government and at the state.

“All of that has been done, but the party will eventually release the results because that has not been announced. APC is one in Ondo State. We are not divided, but interest differs when it comes to political positions. That is politics.”

In his opinion, Aiyedatiwa pointed out that competition among party members seeking positions often created tension, noting that such disagreements should not be seen as division in the ruling party.

According to him, “You may have five aspirants contesting for one office, each with their followers. Naturally there will be push and pull. That is what people are seeing. It is not as if the party is divided.”

Ambition

Those opposed to the Governor recontesting again after the present tenure hinge their argument on sections of the Constitution which highlight that he cannot be sworn in for the third time, after taking oath of office twice.

The legal dispute centres on the interpretation of Section 182(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended by the Fourth Alteration), which states that a person who is sworn in as governor to complete the tenure of another elected governor “shall not be elected to such office for more than a single term.” Party members have gone to court to challenge the interpretation.

In his reaction to this, Aiyedatiwa, said he has not declared any intention to seek re-election in 2028, insisting that discussions around his eligibility and tenure remain premature.

The governor, who just clocked a year in office last month, also dismissed the legal challenge filed against him over the constitutional interpretation of his tenure, noting that the matter should be left for the courts to determine.

Aiyedatiwa had served out remaining tenure of late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu before being elected for a fresh tenure in 2024 and sworn in February 2025 for a fresh term of office.

“I have not told anybody that I’m running. An election is a process. You first of all show interest, expression of interest, and there will have to be a timetable by the party and the umpire, INEC. There is no governorship election timetable for Ondo State. There is no expression of interest, there is no nomination form. Why are you taking me to court?” he asked.

These scheming also affect formation of Groups for the second term ambition of President Bola Tinubu. There are not less than five of such Groups in Ondo state, Grassroots Movement for Tinubu (GMT), Asiwaju Mandate Group (AMG) and others, all working at cross purposes and in tune with dictates of their founders. Some loyal to Aiyedatiwa while others are for the interior Minister, Bunmi Tunji -Ojo.