A political showdown may be brewing in Ondo State between Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and various pro-Tinubu support groups following the governor?s decision to ban multiple campaign platforms and establish a single structure to champion President Bola Ahmed Tinubu?s re-election bid in the state.

While the governor insists the move is aimed at ensuring unity and coordination within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, loyalists of the now-disbanded groups view it as a veiled attempt by Aiyedatiwa to consolidate power and weaken potential opposition ahead of the 2028 governorship election.

This follows the launch of a unified campaign platform by the governor under the Ondo State for Tinubu 2027 banner, which he described as the umbrella body for all pro-Tinubu groups in the state.

Prior to this development, several political groups had sprung up across the state to promote the President?s second-term ambition. These include the Grassroots Movement for Tinubu, the Asiwaju Mandate Group, and the PBAT Continuity Project, among others.

Sources within the affected support structures, including the Asiwaju Mandate Group and the PBAT Continuity Project, have hinted at growing discontent over what they describe as a ?top-down imposition? that lacks consultation and grassroots buy-in.

A coordinator of one of the banned groups argued that ?the governor is trying to cage every independent political voice in the name of unity.

?We have supported President Tinubu long before now and won?t allow anyone to sideline us just because of 2028 calculations.?

Insiders also revealed that some leaders of the affected groups are mobilizing behind the scenes and may resist being forced into a structure they did not help design. Others fear the new platform could be used to sideline longstanding Tinubu loyalists in favour of allies loyal to the governor.

Political analysts note that this internal wrangling could deepen existing fault lines within the state?s APC ahead of the crucial 2027 elections.

?While it makes strategic sense for Aiyedatiwa to control the campaign structure to avoid a fragmented front, the optics are tricky. This may be seen by some as power hoarding rather than genuine party discipline,? one analyst observed.

A party source revealed that Aiyedatiwa took the step because he and his loyalists were growing increasingly uneasy with the proliferation of these groups, despite their shared objective of delivering the state for Tinubu in 2027.

According to insiders, concerns have been raised in the governor?s camp about the rising influence of key party figures leading these groups and the potential use of such structures to challenge Aiyedatiwa?s hold on power ahead of the 2028 governorship race.

It was gathered that the governor?s political strategy team believes the only way to forestall any potential agenda these groups might pursue against him after the 2027 general election is to disband them and ensure that all APC members in the state operate under a single, unified platform for Tinubu.

This prompted the governor to urgently convene the APC Leaders Caucus meeting held today at the Government House.

?The main reason for convening the APC Leaders Caucus meeting today was to curtail the growing influence of these groups,? a party source confirmed.

?By launching a new, central group with the endorsement of the party leadership, the governor hopes to assert greater control ahead of the polls.

?Did you notice the invitation letters for the meeting were personally signed by the governor, not the party secretary? That tells you how serious this is,? the source added.

Aiyedatiwa, however, appeared unperturbed. Speaking during the APC Leaders Caucus meeting in Akure, the state capital, on Friday, he stated that the formation of the new body is to assert party supremacy and ensure a focused campaign voice for President Tinubu.

Observers say how the governor manages the fallout from this decision may determine whether the APC enters the 2027 elections as a united front or a fractured house.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan, after the meeting confirmed that the APC Leaders Caucus unanimously endorsed President Tinubu for a second term and officially launched Ondo State for Tinubu 2027 as the only recognised campaign platform.

Adeniyan said Governor Aiyedatiwa called for unity within the party and expressed confidence that the APC would emerge stronger ahead of the 2027 elections.

He noted that the governor, as the leader of the party in the state, re-emphasised the principle of party supremacy and directed all pro-Tinubu political groups to align under the party?s leadership.

The Caucus also appointed the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Taiwo Fasoranti, and the APC State Secretary, Mrs. Roseline Okafor, to coordinate the operations of the Caucus Secretariat.

Among those present at the meeting were Deputy Governor Dr. Olayide Adelami; former Deputy Governors Alhaji Ali Olanusi and Alhaji Lasisi Oluboyo; Senators Jide Ipinsagba (Ondo North) and Adeniyi Adegbonmire (Ondo Central); as well as former Senators Titus Olupitan and Remi Okunrinboye.

Also in attendance were the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji; former Speakers Kenneth Olawale, Victor Olabimtan, and Bamidele Oleyeloogun; Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Ololade Gbegudu; and former Deputy Speakers Dare Emiola and Abayomi Akinruntan.

Members of the House of Representatives present include Hon. Abiola Makinde, Hon. Derin Adesida, and Hon. Jimi Odimayo. Former lawmakers such as Ifedayo Abegunde, Gbenga Elegbeleye, Kolawole Babatunde, and Tajudeen Adefisoye were also in attendance.

The state party leadership was led by Chairman Engr. Ade Adetimehin, while former Chairpersons of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN), Mrs. Jumoke Ajasin-Anifowose and Ambassador Sola Iji, were among the notable attendees. (Nigerian Tribune)

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