Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has again dismissed claims of a rift between him and the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, insisting that the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state remains united.
Speaking on Channels TV’s Politics Today, Aiyedatiwa said he has no personal issues with the minister, stressing that politics naturally involves differing interests.
“The young man you mentioned, the Hon. Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, I don’t have any issue with him. If you ask him, he will tell you the same. Politics is laden with interest, so different
people have different interests. There is no fight, no division. We are members of the same family, members of the same APC,” the governor said.He further clarified that Tunji-Ojo primarily works and resides in Abuja, and any perception of tension between them is baseless.
“I don’t have anything to do with the minister. He lives in Abuja and works in Abuja. We are working together as one. Interest differs and there are levels in leadership, but that does not mean division,” the governor said.
He added, “Those who believe in his own leadership, they are part of the LG and State executives. So, we are working together as one. Yes, interest differs and there are levels in leadership. BTO is a leader in his own right as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that is a level.
“I’m a governor and that’s another level of leadership. So, there are some members of the party that believe in one person or another. We have senators, members of the House of Representatives and State Assembly who have their own followers too and those who believe in them.”
Aiyedatiwa also denied claims that he is pushing members away from the party, describing the APC as “so big that you cannot drive people away.”
The governor said the party continues to attract new entrants, citing the recent defection of Agboola Ajayi, the PDP governorship candidate in the last election, as an example.
“Some people have different interests or notions. The party is so big now that you can’t drive or chase people away because new entrants, new people are joining us. For example, the PDP governorship candidate, who contested against me in the last governorship election (Agboola Ajayi) has defected into the APC as we speak.
“Don’t forget that he scored about 150,000 votes which is almost a winning figure in previous governorship election who won the governorship seat in the past.
“And I scored 666,781 votes, the highest ever in the history of the governorship election in Ondo State. For the fact that I have such figures means I’m very popular among the people. They want me. They preferred me at the time which is still the same thing right now. So, I’m not chasing anybody away and there is no attack from me to anybody.”
Aiyedatiwa also highlighted that the APC controls the entire state legislature.
“Today, for the first time, all 26 members of the House of Assembly are APC members. Everyone is working together as one, despite differences in levels of leadership. There are senators, House of Representatives and State Assembly members with their own followers, but we remain united,” he said.
The governor emphasized that the party remains the “only viable political option in the state.”
“Nobody can leave the party. Ondo State is APC. There is no alternative. Don’t forget we just had our state congress. Everyone who believes in leadership is part of the LG and State executives,” Aiyedatiwa said.
The governor’s comments come amid speculation about internal disagreements within the APC in Ondo State, following defections and competing political interests.
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