Ondo NASS tickets crisis: Disquiet in APC over Aiyedatiwa’s alleged ADC alliance

FRESH cracks may be emerging within the Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) amid allegations that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has initiated alliance talks with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) after some of his preferred aspirants failed to secure the party’s National Assembly tickets.

It was gathered from credible party sources that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC is closely monitoring the governor’s alleged growing romance with the opposition, particularly the ADC, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The development, according to sources, has upset the national leadership of the ruling party, especially after photographs surfaced showing Aiyedatiwa with the ADC’s Ondo Central Senatorial candidate for the 2027 election, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, shortly after a church service at the Government House Chapel, Alagbaka, Akure, on Sunday.

It was learnt that the governor allegedly attended Akinyelure’s 70th birthday celebration recently, a development some party leader interpreted as a sign of deepening political rapprochement.

Party insiders, however, maintained that while the APC leadership was not attempting to dictate who the governor should associate with, but at the same time could not ignore what they described as “disturbing alleged political alliance between the governor and members of the opposition party in his State.

The party leadership was said to have observed that Akinyelure, the ADC candidate is now frequently seen with governor Aiyedatiwa after his preferred aspirant for the Ondo Central Senatorial ticket, Dr. Taiwo Fasoranti, who was recently reappointed as Secretary to the State Government (SSG), lost the APC ticket to incumbent Senator Niyi Adegbonmire.

A chieftain of APC, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, alleged that the governor had not concealed his grievances over the outcome of the party’s National Assembly primaries.

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The source said, “We are aware of the games of Mr. Governor since his preferred aspirants lost the party tickets. We are aware that he instigated some of the aspirants to challenge the decision of the party in court. He also directed some of his loyalists to contest on other parties, while also romancing the ADC in the state.

“One thing Aiyedatiwa has failed to understand is that he became governor due to the benevolence of our great party and our national leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. If the decision of the party didn’t favour him this time around, he shouldn’t be the person working against the interest of the party and President Tinubu”.

However, a statement issued on Monday by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan, described the claims as “false, misleading and a deliberate attempt to manufacture controversy.”

According to Prince Adeniyan, the Government House Chapel is a public place of worship open to all citizens irrespective of political affiliation.

“The Government House Chapel is a public place of worship. Just like the Mosque within the Government House premises, the Chapel is open to all citizens, religious leaders and public officials who wish to worship.

“It is not an APC-only facility. To suggest otherwise is to misunderstand the purpose of Government House as the house of all the people of Ondo State,” the statement said.

Adeniyan said that Senator Akinyelure attended the church service to worship and also thanked the governor for sending a delegation and goodwill message during his recent 70th birthday celebration.

“Governor Aiyedatiwa remains committed to the APC and all its candidates. The Governor will work with all party structures to ensure that APC wins all elections in Ondo State”, the statement read.