The All Progressives Congress (APC), Ondo State chapter, has been enmeshed in another round of internal crisis ahead of the 2027 general elections amid emerging realignments in the Ondo South Senatorial District.

The purported realignment has placed the relationship between Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and the APC candidate, Isaacs Kekemeke, under scrutiny.

Kekemeke, a former APC National Vice Chairman (South-West) and an ally of the governor, was reportedly backed and nominated by Aiyedatiwa for the party’s Ondo South senatorial ticket during the run-up to the National Assembly primary.

The governor had Insisted on Kekemeke even as the Ondo South senatorial slot remained the only one among the three preferred choices made by Aiyedatiwa that the APC National Working Committee (NWC) retained.

Following the development, an indication emerged that Aiyedatiwa had shifted his support to Hon. Mathew Oyerinmade, who was initially picked by the governor as his preferred candidate for the Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo-Odigbo Federal Constituency during the APC primary but lost to Hon. Festus Adefiranye and subsequently saw his court challenge dismissed.

There has been no official confirmation or denial from Governor Aiyedatiwa regarding the alleged shift in support, even as speculation continues to mount across political circles in the state.

The development has generated controversy, particularly among APC members over the alleged decision to abandon Kekemeke midway for Oyerinmade, whose membership of the PDP has yet to be officially confirmed by the party’s leadership.

Sources within Ondo State political circles have alleged that Oyerinmade’s decision to join the PDP and his subsequent senatorial ambition have the backing of the governor.

Although there has been no public confirmation from Aiyedatiwa that he is sponsoring Oyerinmade’s ambition, the presence of several Ondo South APC chieftains at Oyerinmade’s declaration on the platform of the PDP in Okitipupa last week has fuelled the speculation.

Those present reportedly included political appointees of the governor, councillors and APC executive members from the senatorial district.

Their presence, according to political observers, has further strengthened the allegation that influential figures within the APC structure are working to support Oyerinmade’s senatorial bid despite his defection to the PDP.

The Okitipupa meeting, which took place under the auspices of the MATO Mandate Group, a few days ago had leaders of the party from the six local councils of Ondo South.

In a unanimous resolution, the leaders also declared their support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to continue in office.

The development has also revived allegations surrounding the existence of a group known as the Rainbow Coalition, which some APC members have accused of being backed by the governor to enable his loyalists to contest the 2027 National Assembly elections on the platforms of other political parties.

There are also claims within the APC that Aiyedatiwa has been unhappy with the outcome of the party’s National Assembly primary elections, particularly the defeat of some aspirants believed to have enjoyed his support.

Despite the speculation, however, Kekemeke has dismissed reports of a rift between him and Aiyedatiwa, describing the reports as the handiwork of his political opponents.

He said there was no basis for claims that the governor had withdrawn his support for his senatorial ambition or endorsed a candidate of another political party.

Kekemeke said Aiyedatiwa played a significant role in his emergence as the APC candidate during the party’s primary election.

“Nothing has happened between me and the governor to change gear. There is no friction. The governor supported me in the primaries. In fact, he was my promoter, and he did everything he could to ensure that I emerged victorious.”

The APC senatorial candidate also reaffirmed his loyalty to the governor, describing Aiyedatiwa as his benefactor and the leader of the APC in Ondo State.

“The truth is the governor remains my benefactor and the leader of our party in the state, as it is with all serving governors,” he said.

Kekemeke further dismissed the reported Okitipupa meeting as having no bearing on the position of the APC, noting that those who organised it could not clearly identify the party they intended to endorse. Responding to a question on whether the governor could endorse another candidate, Kekemeke said such a move would contradict his position as leader of the APC in the state.

“The governor is not there and couldn’t be there. How will the leader of a party go and support another party when the APC has a candidate? The governor wouldn’t do that,” he said.

When contacted over the development, the publicity secretary of the party in the state, Muyide Kayode, stated that the endorsement by APC members is not considered a threat, adding that the foundation of the endorsement was poorly made.

“What happened is that whatever they did there cannot fly because the foundation was so poorly made. They are infinitesimal. He (Oyerinmade) is never a threat to us. With the electoral act, he cannot fly.” (The Guardian)

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