Anti-Party Fears: APC NWC Mulls Dissolution Of Benue, Ondo Excos

…No Reason to Dissolve Our Exco — Ondo APC; We Are Not Aware — Benue APC

By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja, Damilola Orgbemisuyi, Akure, and Aza Msue, Makurdi

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is considering the dissolution of the party’s executive committees in Benue and Ondo states following concerns over alleged anti-party activities.

The prospect of dissolving the Benue and Ondo APC executives followed reports of growing disagreements between the party leadership and the governors of Benue and Ondo states, Hyacinth Alia and Lucky Aiyedatiwa, respectively, after some aspirants believed to be backed by the governors lost the APC’s National Assembly primaries.

Sources within the party told LEADERSHIP that the move was being considered as part of efforts to reposition the two state chapters and prevent internal divisions and alleged disloyalty from undermining the party’s chances in the elections.

However, while the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, did not pick calls or reply to text messages sent to him on the matter, the Benue State chapter of the APC said it was not aware of any plans to dissolve its leadership. Governor Hyacinth Alia’s Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, did not answer or return calls put through to his phone on the matter.

But the Ondo State chapter of the APC told LEADERSHIP that there was no reason to dissolve its leadership, just as the state Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, said he was not aware of any plan by the APC national leadership to dissolve the state executive committee.

The APC in Ondo and Benue states has experienced a lot of internal strife. Governors Aiyedatiwa (Ondo) and Alia (Benue) have been locked in political battles with federal lawmakers from their respective states.

Although Governor Aiyedatiwa recently called for unity and urged party members to vote for the party’s candidates at an enlarged APC Elders Council meeting, sources said some of his loyalists were still opposed to supporting certain APC National Assembly candidates.

This development was reflected in a Facebook post by the governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Signage and Advertisement, Yomi Oyekan, on Tuesday, in which he said candidates who emerged from the APC primaries should rely on their own political strength to win the general elections.

He wrote: “ONDO POLITICS: Funny how you want to gaslight and bully a man you don’t regard to support you for general election, shebi you’ve won primaries take your ticket to the general elections and win with capacity.”

This comes as some of Aiyedatiwa’s loyalists who lost the party’s primaries have since defected to other political parties to contest the 2027 elections. It was also learnt that neither the governor nor the APC state executive committee has strongly disclaimed the defections, fuelling allegations within the party that the governor and the party leadership may be sympathetic to the moves.

Some of his supporters, including political appointees, have also been seen identifying with the “Rainbow Coalition”, a political group associated with a faction of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Two political allies of Aiyedatiwa, Mathew Oyerinmade, popularly known as MATO, and Prince Idowu Mafimisebi, emerged as the PDP candidates for Ondo South Senatorial District and the Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency, respectively. This move gave fillip to allegations that Governor Aiyedatiwa and his loyalists may have dumped the APC senatorial candidate, Isaac Kekemeke, who was initially supported by the governor himself. But the governor has since denied that he has abandoned Kekemeke.

For the Ondo South Senatorial District, an ally of the governor, a Niger Delta businessman and deputy director in the APC Presidential Campaign Council, is said to be anchoring the bids of Oyerinmade and Mafimisebi for the Senate and House of Representatives, respectively, against APC’s Kekemeke and Donald Ojogo for the same positions.

In Idanre/Ifedore in Ondo Central, Tajudeen Adefisoye, popularly known as Small Alhaji, who was the consensus candidate of Aiyedatiwa for the Idanre/Ifedore Federal Constituency but was disqualified by the APC screening committee for the primary election, has now defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) as its candidate for the Idanre/Ifedore Federal Constituency.

This is just as there is an alleged involvement of Aiyedatiwa in the senatorial bid of Senator Ayo Akinyelure on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), especially after the governor had a closed-door meeting with the Idanre-born politician. Akinyelure is the main contender against the incumbent, Senator Niyi Adegbonmire, SAN, of the APC, who emerged as the candidate against the governor’s choice, Taiwo Fasoranti.

A source at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, confirmed that the national leadership was monitoring developments in Ondo and Benue states.

The source said the party was particularly concerned by reports that some APC executives, as well as political appointees of Governor Aiyedatiwa, attended the political event in Okitipupa where Oyerinmade and Mafimisebi declared their intentions to contest the 2027 National Assembly elections on the platform of the PDP.

The source said: “We are monitoring the political developments in Ondo State. We are surprised that an ally of the governor, whom he nominated for the Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo/Odigbo Federal Constituency but lost the party primary, has now moved to the PDP to contest the Senate against our former South-West Vice-Chairman, Kekemeke, who is our party’s candidate for Ondo South.

“Interestingly, it was the governor who nominated Kekemeke. That is why we were shocked when it was reported that the governor’s political appointees, councillors and some party executives attended the event in Okitipupa where Oyerinmade and Mafimisebi declared for the PDP.

“We believe these people would not have attended such an event without the governor’s knowledge. That is why the party is weighing the option of dissolving the state executive committee, since it may be risky to rely on a party structure that is allegedly engaging in anti-party activities.”

The source added that shortly after the Okitipupa meeting, where Governor Aiyedatiwa’s allies adopted a candidate different from Kekemeke, the Presidency reportedly received a security report to that effect, highlighting the possible ripple effects such a move could have on the President’s election.

The source also said the party is concerned about developments in Benue State and the failure to resolve the long-standing battle between the governor and the federal lawmakers despite interventions by the villa.

“We are concerned that the party leaders have not been able to mend fences, creating a ground for anti-party activities as we approach the elections,” the source said.

Meanwhile, the APC elders yesterday raised concerns over what they described as a growing division within the party ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The elders warned that continued disagreements among supporters of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, could weaken the party’s chances of delivering the state for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the election.

Chairman of the APC Elders Forum, Demola Ijabiyi, expressed the concern on Wednesday during a meeting of the group in Akure, the state capital.

Ijabiyi said the elders considered it their responsibility to promote peace, unity and political stability within the party, while urging members to put the collective interest of the APC ahead of individual political ambitions.

He said there was a “dangerous tendency” among members to interpret every political development in terms of who had defeated whom, who controlled the party and who had gained or lost political influence.

No Reason to Dissolve State Exco — Ondo APC

The Ondo State chapter of the APC has said there is no reason to dissolve its state executive committee and replace it with a caretaker committee.

The reaction followed reports that the national leadership of the party was considering dissolving the Ondo State Executive Committee over the crisis within the party and allegations of anti-party activities.

The state APC, however, said it was not aware of any decision, communication or process by the national leadership to dissolve the executive committee.

The party’s Director of Media and Publicity, Steve Otaloro, said the present state executive committee remained in place and continued to discharge its responsibilities.

Otaloro said the committee was elected through the constitutional processes of the party and had continued to engage in reconciliation, mobilisation and preparations for forthcoming elections.

He said the APC Constitution did not provide for the arbitrary dissolution of a state executive committee, citing Article 13.3(B) of the party’s constitution.

According to him, the provision empowers the National Executive Committee to establish a caretaker committee only where, in its opinion, there is a compelling situation warranting such action in the overriding interest of the party.

He added that any caretaker committee established under the provision must have a defined tenure not exceeding 12 months.

Otaloro said he was not aware of any circumstance in Ondo State that warranted such an extraordinary measure.

“In the case of Ondo State, I am not aware of any circumstance that warrants such an extraordinary measure,” he said.

He also pointed to recent public statements by the state chairman, Hon. Kolawole Babatunde, which he said had reaffirmed the unity and strength of the party.

The APC spokesman said any disagreements within the party should be addressed through reconciliation and the constitutionally established mechanisms, rather than through the circulation of unverified claims about the dissolution of a duly constituted state executive committee.

“If there are disagreements within the party, the proper approach is reconciliation and the resolution of such issues through the constitutionally established mechanisms, not the circulation of unverified claims about the dissolution of a duly constituted State Executive Committee,” he said.

He described the report of the planned dissolution as speculation and an attempt to create unnecessary tension within the party unless those circulating it could produce an official communication from the appropriate organ of the APC.

Otaloro said the state chapter remained focused on strengthening the party, reconciling members and preparing for electoral victory.

“There is no reason to create a crisis where none exists,” he said.

Meanwhile, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa said he was not aware of any plan by the APC national leadership to dissolve the state executive committee.

The governor, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, said the matter was a party issue and directed inquiries to the appropriate officials of the APC.

“That’s a party issue. Please contact officials of the party. Not aware of anything of such,” Aiyedatiwa said.

The governor and the state party leadership were also asked how they would feel if the national leadership eventually proceeded with the reported plan and what impact such a move would have on the party.

However, neither the governor nor the state party spokesman offered a direct assessment of the possible implications, maintaining that the reported plan was not something they recognised as an existing development.

Responding to questions on the possible reaction and impact, Otaloro said his earlier response had already addressed the matter.

“The answer I’ve provided has addressed it all. It’s for you to figure out for yourself that it isn’t true. And when something isn’t true, you hardly feel its impact,” he said.

The state chapter, however, maintained that its focus remained on reconciliation, mobilisation and strengthening the party for future electoral contests.

We Are Not Aware of Plans to Dissolve Our Leadership — Benue APC

The Benue State chapter of the APC has said it is not aware of the planned dissolution of the state executive committee by the national leadership of the party.

When contacted over the reported plan to dissolve the APC executive committee in Benue and Ondo states, the Benue State Publicity Secretary, Benedict Yawe, told our correspondent: “I am hearing it from you and we are not aware.”

Yawe did not respond to further inquiries.