Ondo APC Targets Unity, One Million Tinubu Votes as Reconciliation Begins, Says Party Chairman

By Kanu Samuel

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State said it has constituted a reconciliation committee to address grievances arising from the party’s primaries and the emergence of candidates for the 2027 general elections, in a move aimed at preserving party unity ahead of the polls.

The State Chairman of the APC, Hon. Babatunde Kolawole, announced the decision during an unscheduled visit to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Akure on Friday, saying the committee would be chaired by the Chairman of the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC), Prince Biyi Poroye.

Kolawole said the committee was constituted following extensive consultations with the party’s leadership, stressing that disagreements were inevitable after political contests but could be resolved through the APC’s established internal mechanisms.

“There is no way we will go through political activities without issues. There will be political bickering and arguments, but one thing that is good about our party is that we have internal mechanisms for resolving disagreements,” he said.

According to him, the party had gone through an intensive political calendar, including congresses, zonal and national conventions, by-elections, and primaries for the State House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senate, making disputes unavoidable.

“These are political activities that will always result in one issue or another.

There is no way one can get all of this done without disagreements. After completing the cycle, the next thing is to sit down as leaders and resolve the issues that have arisen,” he added.

Kolawole said the emergence of candidates marked the end of one phase of the electoral process and the beginning of reconciliation.

“We’ve done extensive consultations with the leadership, and approval has been given to set up a Reconciliation Committee that will hit the ground running immediately,” he said.

He disclosed that Prince Poroye would head the committee alongside other senior stakeholders and party leaders with state and national influence to reconcile aggrieved members and strengthen cohesion within the APC.

Responding to reports of internal divisions following complaints by some unsuccessful aspirants, including former Commissioner for Energy, Razaq Obe, Kolawole said every aspirant had the constitutional right to express personal views but insisted such opinions did not reflect the party’s official position.

“Those who did not win have every right to express their opinions.

Razaq Obe is entitled to his opinion. He did not speak on behalf of the party, the government or the leadership. He spoke as an individual,” he said.

The APC chairman maintained that the disagreements were not severe enough to threaten the party’s unity in Ondo State.

“These are normal political issues. They are not strong enough to divide us as a party.

We have internal mechanisms to resolve them, and that is exactly what the Reconciliation Committee has been established to do,” he stated.

Kolawole also dismissed concerns that the absence of a formidable opposition in the state could undermine democracy, arguing that the APC’s growing acceptance was driven by the achievements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s “OUR EASE” development agenda.

He revealed that the party had registered about 84 support groups across the state and had set a target of securing at least one million votes for President Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

According to him, the support groups will be integrated into the party’s structure while grassroots mobilisation will continue ahead of the commencement of official campaigns.