Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has dismissed allegations that he is secretly backing opposition candidates ahead of the 2027 elections, insisting that he has “zero tolerance” for anti-party activities. Aiyedatiwa spoke on Monday at an APC stakeholders’ meeting with the party’s local government and ward chairmen in Akure, where he addressed growing claims that he […]
Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has dismissed allegations that he is secretly backing opposition candidates ahead of the 2027 elections, insisting that he has “zero tolerance” for anti-party activities.
Aiyedatiwa spoke on Monday at an APC stakeholders’ meeting with the party’s local government and ward chairmen in Akure, where he addressed growing claims that he was supporting former APC members who defected to opposition parties.
The governor described the allegations as false and politically motivated, stressing that he had never instructed any APC member or candidate to contest an election under another political platform. He accused his detractors of deliberately spreading rumours aimed at creating the impression that he was working against the ruling party.
According to Aiyedatiwa, those behind the claims were merely attempting to blackmail and discredit him ahead of the 2027 elections. He described them as “naysayers, blackmailers and slanderers” and maintained that his commitment to the APC remained firm.
“Some people are spreading falsehoods against me. I did not ask any candidate to contest in any other party; it is all lies,” the governor said, while urging APC members to remain committed to President Bola Tinubu and the party’s candidates.
Aiyedatiwa also tasked the 18 local government and 203 ward chairmen with intensifying grassroots mobilisation ahead of the elections, stressing that the party’s ward and local government structures would play a decisive role in determining the APC’s electoral fortunes.
He reminded the ward chairmen that elections are ultimately won at polling units, which are situated within the wards, making them central to the party’s mobilisation and election strategy.
“Elections are won at the polling units, and the polling units are right there in the wards, and you are the ward chairmen. Very, very important. You are occupying a significant role in the party structure,” he told the officials.
The governor further directed ward chairmen and secretaries to hold regular meetings involving party leaders in their respective wards to discuss party affairs and preparations for 2027. However, he warned that such meetings and mobilisation activities must not be turned into platforms for anti-party conduct.
In his remarks, APC state chairman Babatunde Kolawole called for total loyalty to Aiyedatiwa and the party, urging members at the local government and ward levels to support all APC candidates in the forthcoming elections.
Kolawole also commended the governor for approving regular ward meetings and for increasing the allowances of ward and local government chairmen by 100 per cent, alongside an increase for state party executives, describing the measures as part of efforts to strengthen the party at the grassroots.