The Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Saturday inaugurated the state All Progressives Congress Presidential Election Campaign Council, directorates and sub-committees.
At the International Culture and Event Centre, Akure, the state capital, Aiyedatiwa charged members to unite and mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
According to him, unity and coalition-building, which brought the APC to power in 2015, remained crucial to its electoral success, warning that the party’s status as Nigeria’s and Africa’s largest political party would not guarantee victory without internal cohesion.
He urged party members to learn from the divisions that produced factions within the PDP, warning that internal disagreements could jeopardise the APC’s chances, particularly in Ondo State.
The governor said, “These coming elections would involve the President, senators, members of the House of Representatives, governors, except in some states, and members of state Houses of Assembly.
“As large or as big as we are, if we are not together, it will be difficult to win the elections. That is why it’s very, very important that we must remain united.
“We must learn from that, particularly here in our state. We must all work together.
“The APC’s formation in 2014 involved the alliance of New PDP, Action Congress of Nigeria, Action Congress of Democrats and other legacy parties which enabled the progressives to defeat the PDP in 2015.”
Aiyedatiwa noted that retaining power was essential to protecting the interests of party members and their communities, charging them to work collectively towards victory.
“It’s only when we retain power, that is when your own individual interests and your community interests can be met. All of us must work together,” he said.
Also speaking, the Deputy Governor, Olayide Adelami, asked APC members to intensify grassroots mobilisation to secure one million votes for Tinubu in 2027, stating that the target depended on members’ commitment to reaching every household and community through house-to-house and street-to-street campaigns.
Adelami urged women, men, youths, elders and other groups to participate, describing Tinubu as a visionary leader who fulfilled his promises.
He expressed confidence that “the President would provide the necessary resources for the campaign” and urged party members to return to their constituencies to mobilise voters.
In his own remarks, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, urged APC leaders to work for Tinubu’s re-election, saying the state was known for winning elections and should sustain the record.
He called on party leaders and residents to return to their respective areas and work for a convincing victory. Oladiji said Aiyedatiwa had indicated his readiness to support them and expressed confidence that Ondo State would deliver for Tinubu in 2027.
In his welcome address earlier, the state APC Chairman, Kolawole Babatunde, charged the campaign committees to reach every nook and cranny of the state, engage residents and mobilise voters.
He expressed confidence that the party would achieve its targeted one million votes based on its performance at state and national levels.
He said the Aiyedatiwa administration had completed more than 50 road projects, with over 50 others ongoing, citing figures presented by the commissioner for infrastructure during the commissioning of the Akure flyover.