* Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo (left), Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa (right)
In line with the directive of the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC), congresses to elect party officials at the ward, local government and state levels were scheduled for February and March this year.
However, concerns are mounting that the exercise in Ondo State could be overshadowed by crisis amid a perceived supremacy battle between Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, popularly known as BTO.
Deadly turn at ward congress
The alleged struggle for control of the Ondo APC reportedly took a deadly turn on Wednesday when two people were killed and five others injured during violent clashes at the ward congress in Odode-Idanre, headquarters of Idanre Local Government Area. The incidents occurred as the party conducted congresses across its 203 wards in the state.
The unrest is believed to have stemmed from Tuesday’s disruption at the APC state secretariat in Akure, where suspected hoodlums stormed a stakeholders’ meeting and assaulted party leaders.
Among the victims was Raphael Adetimehin, younger brother of the state APC caretaker chairman, Ade Adetimehin.
He reportedly sustained machete wounds after attackers allegedly mistook him for his brother due to their resemblance. Eyewitnesses said his vehicle was set ablaze before he was rushed to the General Hospital in Idanre, where he remains in a coma.
By party tradition, the governor is regarded as the leader of the party at the state level, just as the President occupies that position nationally. As a minister appointed by the President, Tunji-Ojo falls within the federal hierarchy.
Recent developments, however, suggest that the Ondo APC may have split into two blocs — one aligned with Aiyedatiwa and the other with Tunji-Ojo.
Although neither man has publicly acknowledged any rift, subtle signs of tension have fueled speculation. At the recent 50th anniversary celebration of Ondo State, both leaders appeared cordial, exchanging warm gestures at the Government House and sitting side-by-side at the Akure Township Stadium, where Tunji-Ojo represented President Bola Tinubu.
Behind the scenes, party sources allege that the minister has become increasingly influential within the state chapter, cultivating relationships with elders and stakeholders through financial and logistical support. He is also said to be coordinating support groups for President Tinubu’s re-election in the state.
Some beneficiaries of the minister’s outreach have reportedly accused the governor of not doing enough to strengthen party structures.
The rivalry came into sharper focus on Tuesday when political thugs invaded the APC secretariat during a pre-ward congress stakeholders’ meeting. Party leaders, including Ade Adetimehin and other chieftains, were allegedly assaulted.
Former commissioner Yetunde Adeyanju claimed the attackers openly invoked the governor’s name, alleging they declared that “Aiyedatiwa sent us” and threatened those discussing congresses.
Corroborating her account, Adetimehin alleged that despite assurances from the governor that such disruption would not occur, the meeting venue was invaded by armed thugs who assaulted leaders and stole personal belongings.
Governor Aiyedatiwa, however, denied any involvement. He maintained that the violence was instigated by supporters of various aspirants and insisted the earlier gathering was not officially recognised.
“I asked that security operatives be deployed to protect the place,” he said, adding that miscreants sympathetic to certain aspirants caused the disturbance.
A chieftain of the party and Director-General of the pro-BTO Grassroots Movement for Tinubu, Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye, confirmed internal tensions but blamed the governor for allegedly neglecting the party.
He claimed Tunji-Ojo had stepped in to support party members when they felt abandoned, alleging that such gestures earned the minister widespread loyalty.
Conversely, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary insisted Aiyedatiwa remained the undisputed party leader in the state and had fostered unity through quarterly stakeholders’ engagements.
The state Commissioner for Information, Idowu Ajanaku, also denied any rift, stating, “The governor is the party leader, no argument about that.”
The chairman of the party’s elders’ forum, Pa Erastus Akeju, said the elders were previously unaware of any rift but would now intervene following the public escalation.
“It is only now, as the issue has escalated publicly into a physical confrontation, that we can say, ‘All right, it’s time for the elders to intervene,’” he said.
Political affairs analyst Lanre Alewa described the cold war as unhealthy for the APC, particularly with the general election approaching. He urged both leaders to rein in their supporters and called on the party’s national leadership to mediate if necessary.
Observers warn that if unresolved, the internal crisis could weaken party cohesion in Ondo State ahead of future electoral contests.
PUNCH
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