—As Aiyedatiwa pushes for consensus list

By Dayo Johnson Akure

Tension is mounting in the Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) after the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) insisted on direct primaries for the National Assembly elections.

Recall that the party has scheduled primaries for May 15 for the House of Representatives, May 18 for the Senate, and May 20 for the State Assembly.

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa is reportedly opposed to the direct primary mode and had pushed for consensus candidates.

At recent stakeholders’ meetings across the state’s three senatorial districts, he named consensus as the preferred method for the 2026 elections.

But a source at the party said the leadership rejected the governor’s consensus list.

Left with little choice, Aiyedatiwa is now mobilising supporters to secure victory for his preferred aspirants at the primaries.

On Monday, he met with all 203 ward councillors at the Government House in Akure and urged them to prepare for the exercise.

A party insider said the governor told the meeting that only two current National Assembly members from the state would get return tickets.

“We were given names of aspirants expected to win in our wards.

“These are those on the governor’s consensus list.

“We initially thought the national secretariat would accept the consensus list, but we are surprised he has now directed us to prepare for direct primaries.”

“How can a governor who boasted that he already has a consensus list now ask his appointees to prepare for a direct primary? Is there something he’s not telling his followers? This is a huge contradiction.”

The governor risks a clash with the national leadership if he pushes to replace most of the state’s National Assembly members.

Reports suggest the APC leadership favours retaining many incumbents.

Recall that a report in a national newspaper said that about 180 APC lawmakers could secure return tickets, including 48 senators and 140 House members.

The list reportedly includes seven of Ondo’s nine House of Representatives members, as well as Senators Jide Ipinsagba (Ondo North) and Niyi Adegbonmire (Ondo Central).

Meanwhile, APC National Chairman Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda has warned aspirants to keep the primaries peaceful or face sanctions.

In a statement through his special adviser on media and information strategy, Abimbola Tooki, Yilwatda said the party would not tolerate violence, unrest, anti-party activities, or actions that undermine the process.

He warned that offenders would face severe disciplinary measures, including suspension, and stressed that no individual ambition would override the party’s collective interest.