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From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
Crisis is brewing in the Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over alleged constitution of an Election Funds Committee by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to manage funds expected from the party’s national secretariat for the 2027 general election.
Some APC candidates for the Senate and House of Representatives have kicked against the alleged arrangement, expressing concern over the composition of the committee and questioning the governor’s commitment to the success of the party’s National Assembly candidates.
The state government, however, denied that any such committee had been constituted, describing the claim as a rumour being promoted by persons seeking to create division within the APC ahead of the elections.
A source within the party alleged that Aiyedatiwa, who is the Ondo State Coordinator of the Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima Campaign Organisation, constituted the committee to manage election funds expected from the APC National Secretariat.
The committee is alleged to comprise Commissioner for Finance, Omowunmi Isaac; Commissioner for Infrastructure, Lands and Housing, Ayorinde Olawoye; the governor’s younger brother, Williams Aiyedatiwa; his Chief of Protocol, Abayomi Olasanya; and Banjo Ayodele.
The existence and composition of the committee could not be independently established, while the governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Engagements, Steve Olatoro, categorically denied that it had been constituted.
Despite the denial, some party stakeholders and candidates are expressing reservations over the alleged arrangement, amid claims that funds meant for the APC’s election campaign could be deployed selectively.
They alleged that some aspirants who lost APC National Assembly tickets but subsequently emerged as candidates of other political parties retained links with the governor’s political camp.
The development has reopened allegations of anti-party activities against Aiyedatiwa, with some APC members claiming that the governor became dissatisfied with the outcome of some National Assembly primaries after aspirants he allegedly supported failed to secure the party’s tickets.
Some party members also alleged that the governor was behind a group known as the “Rainbow Coalition,” through which aspirants who lost APC tickets were allegedly being supported to contest against the ruling party’s candidates on other platforms.
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Among former APC aspirants who have since emerged as candidates of other parties are Hon. Mathew Oyerinmade, popularly known as MATO, who is now the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Ondo South Senatorial District, and Prince Idowu Mafimisebi, who is contesting the Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency seat on the PDP platform.
Tajudeen Akinfisoye, popularly known as Small Alhaji, who also lost the APC ticket, is contesting the Idanre/Ifedore Federal Constituency seat on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
The governor has, however, denied directing or encouraging any aspirant who lost the APC primaries to contest against the party on another platform.
Aiyedatiwa also rejected allegations of anti-party activities, describing those behind the claims as “naysayers, blackmailers and slanderers.”
“I have zero tolerance for anti-party activities. I have never engaged in anti-party in my life,” the governor said.
Olatoro, who dismissed the latest controversy over the alleged election funds committee, said the report was being deliberately circulated to destabilise the ruling party.
“The report is untrue and should be regarded as nothing more than a rumour being deliberately propagated by individuals who are obviously working against the interest of the APC and seeking to create division within the party ahead of the forthcoming general elections,” he said.
According to him, Aiyedatiwa, as leader of the APC in Ondo State, remained committed to inclusiveness and consultation in the management of the party.
“Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, as the leader of the APC in Ondo State, is a committed Democrat who believes strongly in inclusiveness, consultation and carrying everyone along. This is evident in the structures he has deliberately put in place to broaden participation in decision-making within the party.” Olatoro rejected suggestions that the governor would entrust election funds or campaign affairs to a small circle of associates without involving the party leadership and other stakeholders.
“It is therefore misleading to suggest that the Governor would establish a structure involving only members of his so-called ‘kitchen cabinet’ to manage election funds or campaign affairs without the involvement of relevant party stakeholders,” he added.
