The All Progressives Congress in Ondo State has taken a firm stance on supporting its candidates in the 2027 elections, rejecting any arrangement that would split support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and rival parties. The party's state secretary, Alex Kalejaye, issued a statement emphasizing that support for APC candidates must be "total". The party will mobilize support for President Tinubu and its candidates for the three senatorial seats, nine House of Representatives seats, and 26 House of Assembly seats in Ondo State.
Kalejaye described the party's position on supporting Tinubu's 2027 re-election bid as "not negotiable". He warned that members of the APC who openly support candidates of rival parties would be treated as engaging in anti-party activities and sanctioned. The statement comes amid the activities of the "Rainbow Coalition" and other political actors seeking to form alliances across party lines ahead of the 2027 elections.
The APC in Ondo State is disturbed by the Rainbow Coalition's plan to support President Tinubu while fielding candidates for other positions. The party believes that all candidates of the APC should be fully supported during the exercise, adding that anything on the contrary is not acceptable. Kalejaye reiterated the party's commitment to mobilizing support for its candidates across all elective positions in Ondo State in the 2027 elections.
According to Kalejaye, support for the candidates of the ruling party must be total; the party is committed to mobilizing votes for the President, three senatorial, nine House of Representatives, and 26 House of Assembly candidates. He advised party members to close ranks and resist actions capable of creating divisions within its ranks. Unity is crucial to achieving its target of at least one million votes for Tinubu in the state.
Kalejaye also distanced the APC from any alleged agreement with former members who had defected from the party or were seeking elective positions on other platforms. He warned that a coalition that backs Tinubu for president while fielding or supporting candidates from other parties for legislative positions could create confusion among voters and trigger electoral complications.
The party's stance is clear: members who indulge in any form of anti-party activities will be sanctioned. Kalejaye emphasized that fraternising with rival parties or candidates outside the APC amounts to an "affront to our collective success". Anyone caught indulging in such activities would be appropriately sanctioned.
The development highlights the party's determination to present a united front in the 2027 elections. With the party's position clear, attention now shifts to how the APC will implement its strategy and mobilize support for its candidates in Ondo State.
Key points
- The Ondo State APC has rejected any arrangement that would support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's 2027 re-election bid while backing candidates of rival parties in legislative elections in the state.
