Make Aiyedatiwa leader of your re-election campaign in Ondo, APC chieftains tell Tinubu

Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo south have called on President Bola Tinubu to make Lucky Aiyedatiwa, governor of the state, the sole leader of the 2027 presidential campaign in Ondo. 

In a statement on Wednesday read by Simidele Odimayo, the chieftains insisted that the APC constitution leaves no room for dual leadership.

They added that it is non-negotiable that Aiyedatiwa must take charge of the president’s re-election campaign machinery in the state.

“We want President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to make it a matter of compulsion that Governor Aiyedatiwa leads his campaign in Ondo State in the 2027 presidential election,” Odimayo said.

“According to the constitution of our party, the state governor is the leader of the party. So, we cannot afford to have two leaders in our state.”

The stakeholders reaffirmed that the APC constitution clearly vests state-level leadership in the executive governor, adding that adherence to this principle would strengthen party unity ahead of the coming elections.

The congress also noted that political officeholders, commissioners, council chairmen, lawmakers, and stakeholders from Ondo south have unanimously endorsed Tinubu for a second term over what they described as his “impressive performance within two years in office”.

Odimayo said the endorsement was driven by visible federal interventions in the state. 

“President Tinubu has shown commitment to national development, and Ondo state is a major beneficiary,” he said.

He listed federal projects such as the Ore–Ondo–Akure road expansion, the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, the Akure–Ado-Ekiti dualisation, and the establishment of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Akure, as evidence of the president’s strides, saying, “these are not promises; they are realities”.

Aiyedatiwa, who was represented by Ololade Gbegudu, the deputy speaker of the house of assembly, said the government has not deviated from its mandate to build, uplift and secure a brighter future for Ondo residents. 

He reeled out projects including construction of concrete walkways across riverine communities, the ongoing deep sea port in Ilaje, revitalisation of 102 primary healthcare centres, statewide Hepatitis B eradication campaign, and upgrades to health facilities in Akure, Ikare, Ore, and Okitipupa.

“We are committed to sustainable growth and improved quality of life for every household. We will keep working tirelessly, sincerely and boldly for the good of the people,” Gbegudu said.