Fidelis David in Akure
The Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has constituted a Reconciliation Committee to address grievances arising from its recently concluded primaries and foster unity ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The State Chairman of the party, Mr. Babatunde Kolawole, announced the decision yesterday during a visit to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Akure, revealing that the Chairman of the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC), Prince Biyi Poroye, would chair the committee.
Kolawole said the committee was approved after extensive consultations with the party leadership, stressing that disagreements were an inevitable feature of democratic politics but insisted that the APC possessed strong internal mechanisms for resolving disputes.
“There is no way we will go through political activities without issues. There will be political bickering and arguments, but one thing that is good about our party is that we have internal mechanisms for resolving disagreements,” he said.
According to him, the party had just concluded a demanding political cycle involving congresses, zonal and national conventions, by-elections, and primaries for the State House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senate seats, making disagreements unavoidable.
“These are political activities that will always result in one issue or another. There is no way one can get all of this done without disagreements. After completing the cycle, the next thing is to sit down as leaders and resolve the issues that have arisen,” he stated.
Kolawole said the emergence of candidates for the various elective positions marked the end of the primary process and the beginning of reconciliation, adding that the committee would commence work immediately.
“We’ve done extensive consultations with the leadership, and approval has been given to set up a Reconciliation Committee that will hit the ground running immediately,” he said.
He explained that Poroye would work with other experienced party leaders and stakeholders with both state and national influence to reconcile aggrieved members and strengthen party cohesion ahead of the next election cycle.
Responding to concerns over alleged cracks within the APC following criticisms by some unsuccessful aspirants, including former Commissioner for Energy, Razaq Obe, Kolawole maintained that every aspirant had the constitutional right to express personal opinions but said such views should not be mistaken for the position of the party.
“Those who did not win have every right to express their opinions. Razaq Obe is entitled to his opinion. He did not speak on behalf of the party, the government or the leadership. He spoke as an individual,” he said.
The APC state chairman dismissed suggestions that the disagreements could threaten the party’s unity in the state.
“For me, these are normal political issues. They are not strong enough to divide us as a party. We have internal mechanisms to resolve them, and that is exactly what the Reconciliation Committee has been established to do,” he added.
Kolawole also rejected claims that the absence of a formidable opposition in Ondo State was unhealthy for democracy, attributing the APC’s growing dominance to what he described as the successes of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s OUR EASE agenda.
He further disclosed that the party had registered about 84 support groups across the state and was working towards delivering at least one million votes for President Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
According to him, the support groups would be integrated into the party structure and mobilised at the grassroots as preparations gather momentum ahead of the commencement of campaigns.
