The growing number of opposition politicians defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State is being driven by what the Party describes as the visible achievements of President Bola Tinubu and Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
Ondo State APC Chairman, Hon. Babatunde Kolawole, made the assertion on Sunday during a gathering in Akure, where he also dismissed claims that the ruling Party was deliberately weakening opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to Kolawole, the growing movement into the APC reflects the impact of the Tinubu administration’s policies at the federal level, as well as the developmental projects and people-oriented programmes being implemented by the Aiyedatiwa administration in Ondo State.
He pointed to projects such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the ongoing rehabilitation of the federal road corridor linking Lagos, Ibadan, Ilesa and Akure as evidence of the Federal Government’s commitment to infrastructure development.
The Ondo APC Chairman also cited the student loan scheme, economic reforms, the removal of fuel subsidy and efforts to strengthen national security as some of the policies that have persuaded many Nigerians that the APC-led Federal Government is making progress and deserves another term.
“We have the Coastal Highway, which everyone is proud of. If you travel from Lagos through Ibadan and Ilesa to Akure, you will see that work is ongoing on our highway roads. These are not mere political statements; they are projects everyone can see.
“These are decisive actions taken by President Bola Tinubu. We may not have solved every challenge yet, but the efforts are yielding results, and people are beginning to see them,” he said.
At the State level, Kolawole said Governor Aiyedatiwa’s administration was complementing President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda through its “OUR EASE” agenda, which he said was focused on people-centred policies and infrastructure development.
He argued that the combination of the programmes of both administrations had made the APC increasingly attractive to opposition members seeking a political platform they believe can deliver development and progress.
“There are development programmes at both the national and State levels that are attracting members of opposition parties into the APC. So, you cannot blame us for attracting them to our Party,” the APC Chairman said.
Kolawole, however, acknowledged that opposition parties remained active in Ondo State, saying aspirants from various political platforms had already shown interest in contesting seats in the House of Assembly, House of Representatives and other elective positions in the 2027 elections.
“We still have opposition in Ondo State. There are people from other political parties who have shown interest in contesting for the House of Assembly, House of Representatives and other positions. They are there, and they will contest against us,” he said.
Despite this, the APC Chairman maintained that the opposition did not pose a serious threat to the ruling Party, insisting that the APC had continued to strengthen its structures across the State.
Kolawole reaffirmed that the Party remained open to new members who shared its vision and expressed confidence that the APC would retain its dominance in Ondo State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
