… Faults Aiyedatiwa’s approach to party unity

… Says support groups will complement party structure

The Chairman of the PBAT Mandate Elders Forum, Demola Ijabiyi, has expressed confidence that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will secure no fewer than one million votes for President Bola Tinubu in Ondo State during the 2027 general elections.

Ijabiyi, who frowned against Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for allegedly alienating party members and fostering disunity within the state’s APC chapter, outlined the group strategy for grassroots mobilization.

The APC elder stated this amid growing internal squabbles within the APC in the state, which has been rocked by disputes over the outcomes of its recent National Assembly primaries.

Ijabiyi, who appeared on State of the State, a live media program in Akure, the state capital, emphasized that the PBAT Mandate Elders Forum was established with the primary objective of ensuring Tinubu’s victory in the upcoming presidential election.

He explained that various independent support groups, including those sponsored by the minister of interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, are designed to complement the existing party structure and consolidate support for the president.

He stressed that the groups should not be viewed as threats but as strategic platforms essential for maximizing votes for the APC.

“In every contest, there can only be one winner at a time. But in the APC family, every aspirant remains a valuable stakeholder in our collective success,” Ijabiyi stated.

Ijabiyi stated that Aiyedatiwa should have taken deliberate steps to harmonize the party rather than alienate members.

He criticized what he described as a strained relationship between the governor, members of the National Assembly, and ministers from Ondo State, arguing that such discord was unhealthy for the party’s growth and cohesion.

Ijabiyi further reaffirmed his unwavering support for the decisions of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC regarding the emergence of the party’s candidates for the 2027 general elections.

He urged aggrieved aspirants to accept the NWC’s revised list for the National Assembly in the interest of party unity.

“No amount of public protest can convert defeat into victory where no legitimate mandate was won in the first place. The decisions of the party’s leadership are binding on all members,” Ijabiyi stated.