… Warns against ‘draconian orders’

… Accuses party executives of pursuing vendetta instead of reconciliation

A crisis is brewing within the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ondo State chapter, as one of the prominent support groups mobilising support for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, at the weekend, berated the party leadership over a purported directive requiring all support groups in the state to register with the party.

While describing the move as unfortunate, the Grassroots Movement for Tinubu (GMT) stressed that the current party leadership in the state ought to focus on uniting all stakeholders for the president’s re-election rather than issuing draconian orders aimed at coercing people into submission.

GMT expressed dismay that the present executive members of the state APC appeared more concerned with issuing directives than seeking legitimacy and reconciliation from party members who were forcefully ejected from the party secretariat a few weeks ago.

According to a statement issued and signed by the GMT Director of Media in the state, Ojo Oyewamide, the directive could undermine mobilisation efforts for Tinubu’s re-election, accusing the state executives of pursuing what it described as a teleguided vendetta against certain party members.

The development signals growing friction within the APC in the state, coming a few weeks after the violent congresses and stakeholders meeting which led to the death of some party members with some critically injured.

With GMT declaring its firm resistance to any attempt to use party structures to force compliance, Oyewamide disclosed that the same support groups the party leadership seek to coerce have remained the backbone of the party’s survival over the past year.

The statement read in parts, “We have read the statement credited to Otunba Muyide Kayode, the publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, directing all support groups working for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to register with the party.

“Following this, we have received numerous calls from our supporters across the state, particularly from those who are still grieving the loss of loved ones or are currently hospitalised as a result of incidents that occurred during the last party congress.

“It is surprising that individuals who did not emerge as delegates at their ward levels, in accordance with party guidelines before their emergence as state executives, are now attempting to issue directives and collapse various independent groups under one umbrella.

“It is also on record that the APC in Ondo State last held ward meetings across the 203 wards in November 2024, in the build-up to the governorship election. Since then, there has been no meaningful party engagement, aside from reported cases of violence, intimidation and disruption of lawful congresses by thugs.

“Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, as the leader of the party in the state, has consistently maintained that he welcomes the emergence of more support groups just as many groups contributed to his own electoral success.

“We therefore advise the current leadership of the party to focus on policies and actions that will unite members, heal existing wounds and foster reconciliation instead of pursuing a teleguided vendetta.

“The return of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains our watchword. The Ondo APC has a greater responsibility to unite its members than to issue fruitless directives that could undermine the party’s chances in the next elections.

“We view this directive as an anti-mobilisation move against the re-election of President Tinubu. GMT is a national body duly registered with the APC at the national level in Abuja. The Ondo State chapter derives its authority from the party’s national structure.”