Ondo State leader welcomes Labour Party defectors to APC, vows party will retain power in 2027
Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has strongly criticised politicians advocating for a coalition to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general elections, labelling them “daydreamers” and “unserious actors” lacking any credible blueprint for Nigeria’s development.
Speaking in Akure on Monday during a formal ceremony to welcome Hon. Dayo Awude, former Deputy Governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP), and members of his political movement, the Sunshine Grassroots Network (SGN), into the All Progressives Congress (APC), Governor Aiyedatiwa reaffirmed Ondo State’s unwavering loyalty to the ruling party.
“In Ondo State, there is no room for any coalition. It is one APC,” the governor asserted. “People join political parties for different reasons, but the interest of the party must always come first. For us in the APC, that interest is to retain power.”
The defection of Awude and his group is being seen as a strategic gain for the APC ahead of the 2027 elections. Governor Aiyedatiwa praised the move as both timely and tactically sound, urging the new members to begin robust grassroots mobilisation to further entrench the party’s influence both locally and nationally.
“You have made the right decision. This is the right place to be because the ultimate goal of any political party is to be in power. For us in the APC, we want to retain power and we must do everything necessary to achieve that,” he said.
The governor also reassured the defectors of their importance to the party’s future, promising that their efforts would be recognised and rewarded accordingly. He emphasised the positive impact of APC-led governance at both state and federal levels, citing what he described as “visible dividends of good governance” under President Tinubu’s administration and his own stewardship in Ondo State.
The event marks a significant political development in Ondo, reinforcing the APC’s strategic efforts to consolidate power ahead of the next general elections amid growing speculation about potential alliances between opposition parties.
Governor Aiyedatiwa’s remarks come amid rising political tensions nationwide, as parties and political figures begin early manoeuvres in preparation for what is expected to be a fiercely contested 2027 election.
