—Leaders push consensus

— Stay in APC win or lose – Aiyedatiwa begs aspirants

By Dayo Johnson Akure

A political crisis is brewing in Ondo South Senatorial District, Ondo state as aspirants seeking to replace Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, have opposed plans to zone the APC ticket to Ilaje/Ese-Odo.

The Ondo South Senatorial seat became vacant following Senator Jimoh Ibrahim’s diplomatic appointment as the Ambassador to the United Nations.

Notable party leaders are however, pushing for a consensus arrangement.

This became noticeable during the party’s second-quarter stakeholders’ meeting of the South Senatorial District held in Ore, Odigbo Council Area of the state, where aspirants and their supporters rejected what they called an attempt to favour the riverine axis, where the incumbent governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa hails from.

Notable contenders for the senatorial seat include Morayo Lebi, Mayowa Akinfolarin, Mathew Oyerinmade, Boye Oyewunmi, former Deputy Governor Agboola Ajayi, and APC National Vice Chairman South-West Isaac Kekemeke.

While the former deputy governor ,Ajayi and Kekemeke are from Ilaje/Ese-Odo, aspirants from Irele/Okitipupa and Odigbo/Ileoluji/Okeigbo federal constituencies are leading the opposition to zoning.

A top party leader said the resistance nearly escalated, with some stakeholders threatening a walkout if zoning was tabled which they saw as a move toward imposition.

According to him consultations among aggrieved aspirants have since intensified and they have warned against sacrificing internal democracy for what they described as “selective political appeasement.”

Another party source insisted that the process must be open and competitive, adding that aspirants are resolved to resist any imposed candidate.

He noted that ” Those against zoning argue that limiting the ticket to Ilaje/Ese-Odo would shut out other areas with credible contenders.

” They want merit, popularity, and grassroots appeal to decide the race.

” The anti-zoning bloc is now mobilizing across the district to build support against the arrangement.

A party leader has warned that poor handling of the zoning dispute could deepen divisions in the APC.

However, the state chairman of the party said that the party is in support of consensus just as he described it as a leadership-driven decision and urged aspirants to trust the process.

Addressing the stakeholders meeting, Governor Aiyedatiwa cautioned against placing personal ambition above party unity.

Aiyedatiwa appealed to aspirants not to leave the party if they lose in the coming primaries.

He urged aspirants across all elective positions to remain loyal, committed, and uphold sportsmanship throughout the primaries, stressing that unity and collective interest must come first.

“I am aware that many of you have individual ambitions, whether for the State House of Assembly or the National Assembly, but there is a paramount collective goal, and that is the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027,” Aiyedatiwa said.

“I urge you to remain loyal and committed to the party, whether you win or not. There is always a time for everyone. Only one person can emerge at a time.”

Aiyedatiwa recalled his own political setbacks to buttress his point. He said he once contested for the House of Representatives and lost, and later won a Senate primary in the state only for the party’s national leadership to give an automatic ticket to the incumbent.

“In 2016, I was shortlisted for the deputy governorship ticket but was not eventually selected. Still, I remained a committed member. Today, I am the governor. So, there is time for everyone,” he said.

The state Chairman of the party, Babatunde Kolawole, called for continued cooperation from party members and residents to sustain the Aiyedatiwa administration’s developmental strides.