Ondo Governor's Aide Dismisses Anti-Party Support Claims for Aiyedatiwa

The Senior Special Assistant to the Ondo State Governor on Public Engagement, Mr. Steve Otaloro, has strongly refuted recent media reports suggesting that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa is endorsing candidates from rival political parties for the 2027 general elections. The reports specifically alleged that Governor Aiyedatiwa had withdrawn his backing for the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Ondo South Senatorial District, Isaacs Kekemeke, in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the same district, Matthew Oyerinmade.

In a statement released on Monday, Otaloro clarified that Governor Aiyedatiwa has never, and will never, support any candidate who is not an APC flagbearer in the upcoming elections. He further stated that the governor has not authorized any individual to speak on his behalf in support of any opposition candidate, dismissing any claims to the contrary as baseless, malicious, and politically motivated.

Otaloro emphasized the governor's unwavering commitment to the APC, stating, ” I wish to state categorically that there is no truth whatsoever in the insinuation that Governor Aiyedatiwa has abandoned the APC candidate or is supporting the candidate of another political party. ‎” He highlighted Governor Aiyedatiwa's long-standing loyalty to the progressive political family, tracing it back to the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), which eventually merged to form the APC.

The aide added, ”Governor Aiyedatiwa is a committed member and leader of the APC in Ondo State. He has consistently demonstrated his loyalty to the progressive political family, dating back to the days of the Alliance for Democracy and the Action Congress of Nigeria, which eventually metamorphosed into the All Progressives Congress. ‎” He further questioned the logic of such allegations, remarking, ” It is therefore inconceivable that the governor, who currently leads the APC in Ondo State, would deliberately pitch his tent against the candidate of the same party in favour of a candidate contesting on the platform of another political party.”

According to Otaloro, Governor Aiyedatiwa remains dedicated to the APC and all its candidates. He asserted that the governor's political loyalty and his duties as the party leader in Ondo State would never allow him to engage in activities that could jeopardize the party's standing.

It was also noted that Dr. Isaacs Kekemeke himself has publicly dismissed any notion of discord between him and the governor. Kekemeke reportedly confirmed the governor's support for his candidacy and acknowledged Aiyedatiwa as both his benefactor and the party leader in the state.

Consequently, Otaloro urged the general public, APC supporters, and the people of Ondo State to disregard these pervasive rumours about a shift in the governor's allegiance. He described the allegations as mere ploys by political actors designed to sow unnecessary division between the Governor and the APC senatorial candidate. Otaloro concluded by reiterating that Governor Aiyedatiwa stands as a steadfast APC leader, a loyal party member, and a staunch supporter of all the party’s candidates, firmly stating that "the governor would not support any candidate against the party he leads."