By
Oloroogun Sola Ajisafe
The APC in Ondo State is in crisis. Not because of opposition, but because of how the party is being run from the top in the State.
There is a legal maxim: “He who comes to equity must come with clean hands.” Applied to politics, it means you cannot benefit from party rules and support at one point, violate them at another, and then claim to be a victim when the party insists on doing the right thing. That is the dilemma Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa now face in Ondo State APC.
Truth be told, the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State is currently facing its most serious internal crisis since 2019. While elections are won and lost on unity, strategy, and structure, the events of the last 12 months point to one central factor behind the party’s current challenges. The leadership style and political choices of Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa deserves a critical observation.
- Anointment, Not Election:
Governor Aiyedatiwa became candidate not by building a party structure, but by constitutional succession after the death of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN. That was reinforced by sympathy, national support from Abuja, and advocacy by groups like Afenifere.
The primary election that followed was widely questioned. As Chief Olusola Oke, SAN noted in media engagements on AriseTV and TVC regarding statements made by Engr. Rasak Obe on those stations in respect of this current primary. He said there was no visible, competitive process that reflected the will of party members and that he was once a victim of such while the governor was a beneficiary. To him, I guess he meant the river should not be poisoned because of
man’s ambition.
When a leader comes into office through constitutional succession and national endorsement rather than through internal party contest and negotiation, there is a risk that the value of party consultation is underestimated. That risk has played out in Ondo APC.
- Consensus by Fiat, Rejected by the Party*
Party directives are clear: consensus must be by agreement of stakeholders. In Ondo, the Governor and his ” spin doctors” produced a list and called it “consensus” which in one of my articles in the month of May, I called … “Consensus Without Consent”.
This played out in 3 areas:
- Appointments: When the governor wanted to form his government, his Commissioners, SAs, and aides were named with zero input from LG leaders and party elders. Loyalists were sidelined for newcomers. Those he chose were confirmed political enemies of his late boss, those seeking political rehabilitation, political contractors and speculators wishing to be conpensated for what they did. Leaders of the party, co- contestants and many that genuinely worked for the party were ignored.
- Congress: Despite multiple aspirants particularly for the chairmanship which include established politicians like Amodeni, Olabimtan, Owoka, Alonge-Niyi, the eventual beneficiary Kolawole Babatunde and the incumbent Engnr Adetimehin, a single list came from Government House announcing the anointed party officials. February was a month of violence and death orchestrated by the governor and his supporters. It led to deaths with leaders of the party manhandled.
- Primaries: Just like the LG and Councillorship elections before it, the NASS and State Assembly primary, names were again announced unilaterally. Almost the entire NASS and most of the State Assembly were dropped without a single meeting. The party members in the State rejected it many of the aspirants kicked.
The NWC ordered direct primaries. Instead of accepting the party’s decision, the “consensus” list was resurrected and backed with state apparatus. When those affected protested and over 700 petitions went to Abuja. NWC upheld their appeals in many States. The reaction was to shout “blue murder.” by Aiyedatiwa and his supporters who invaded the social media and main media while others went on public protests.
Even Engr. Rasak Obe, who had publicly withdrawn from the race, suddenly became the face of this “illicit struggle.” The truth is, you cannot voluntarily withdraw from a contest in support of an invalid or illegal action and later return to lead a protest against a unlawful process and claim victimhood.
Fusing Party and Government
In a democracy, negotiation is oxygen. A governor should mediate, not dictate.
By backing one chairmanship candidate, by imposing candidates, in an election which the rules was clear and by using state power to enforce party decisions, the independence of the party was eroded. People who were never allies were forced together to resist what they saw as imposition. The result: a fractured party.
On Blaming Dr. Tunji-Ojo
Blaming the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, is an escape route. He only stepped in after excluded stakeholders asked for help to keep the party alive. If a leader of a party waste valuable time and resources pursuing a personal agenda while the party drifts in an important election year, any reasonable person capable of acting must step.foeqard as matter if necessity. Hence, supporting party groups ahead of a national election is not sabotage. It is party work.
The NWC was also right in law to review the primaries. Candidacy begins with the party. If internal rules are breached, the party must correct it before sending names to INEC.
The Choice Before the Governor
The President will need Ondo Sstate votes. The party will need unity to deliver them. This time around,.we.woukd not rely on percentages. What is required is actual number of valid votes. The best way to get it is be collaboration and not division. Governor Aiyedatiwa is expected to be at the fire front of this goal.
Tearing down billboards of support groups, attacking members working for the President, and running press wars will not win elections. It will only weaken the party.
Governor Aiyedatiwa benefited from party goodwill and national support in 2023. He cannot now reject the same party process when it does not go his way. The use of his Commissioner’s and aides as attack dogs and making conjectures because of a personal loss is not only irresponsible it points to leadership failure on the party of the governor.
He who comes to equity must come with clean hands. The path forward is consultation, compensation, and reconciliation. Not imposition.
If the pot breaks, everyone will thirst.
Oloroogun Sola Ajisafe is a member of the APC and a lawyer. He writes from Akure
