Get Guardian on Google… Caution against sacrificing candidates, anti-party activities
Elders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State have rejected any coalition arrangement that requires the party to sacrifice its candidates or surrender constituencies in exchange for support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election, disclosing that the APC can win the state without any coalition.
Speaking under the banner of the PBAT Mandate Elders Forum during a press briefing in Akure, the state capital, the chairman of the forum, Demola Ijabiyi, addressed the issue of the proposed rainbow coalition, stating that while cooperation among political parties pursuing a common objective is valuable, the circumstances of each state must determine the form such cooperation takes.
The elders maintained that in Ondo State, where the APC controls government at both state and local levels, there is no justification for any coalition arrangement under any guise.
Ijabiyi, who revealed the establishment of the Progressive Mandate Forum (PMF), a statewide mobilization structure inaugurated across all 18 local council areas, stated that the mandate is to extend its organization to every ward and polling unit, mobilize the electorate, and work towards delivering over one million votes for Tinubu alongside victory for all APC National and State Assembly candidates.
According to him, APC remains popular in the state, and the focus is on encouraging citizens who have stopped voting to return to the polls.
He noted that the PMF would address the situation through sustained mobilization, voter education, and door-to-door engagement, with women and youths taking leading roles.
The forum called on other political parties to endorse and support Tinubu’s re-election, stating that its doors are open to all who share the conviction that his administration should consolidate its reforms and development agenda.
He said, “We recognize the value of cooperation among political parties pursuing a common objective. However, the circumstances of each state must determine the form such cooperation takes.
“In Ondo State, the APC is the dominant political party, controlling government at both the state and local government levels. We therefore see no justification for any coalition arrangement that requires us to sacrifice our candidates or surrender constituencies in exchange for support for President Tinubu.
“We welcome cooperation for President Tinubu’s victory, but we do not support bargaining away the electoral prospects of our candidates.”
Meanwhile, the forum warned that any APC member, whether aggrieved or not, who engages in support for another party other than the party’s candidate has committed an anti-party offense.
“Why do you want to jettison our own candidate and support another candidate? If it is because you lost out in the primaries, and you think that you want to cut the corner, no matter the way you look at it, you have engaged in an anti-party activity, and we condemn it. We will not encourage it. In any case, whoever does that will fail and fail woefully.”
The elders also called on party leaders, candidates, support groups, and members across the state to ensure an impressive and peaceful turnout to demonstrate the depth of the state’s support for the president during the presidential campaign rally scheduled for November 11, 2026.
“We want the president to see a state united in its determination to support his re-election. We want our reception to convey a clear message. He (Tinubu) is our own, and we are his.
“Every polling unit matters. Every candidate has a responsibility to help deliver it. Our common strength will grow when candidates campaign actively, structures work together, and supporters see a united party seeking their mandate,” Ijabiyi stated.
