ONDO APC CHAIRMANSHIP TUSSLE: A CANDID OPINION

By Peter Adekunle

Few weeks from now, members of Ondo State chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) will be on the march again to elect a new party chairman and executives for a term of four years that is renewable for another term should the party members find the performance of the Exco members commendable and rewardable.

In 2016 when late Arakunrin Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN popularly known as Aketi became governor of Ondo State, he did not hide his preference for Engineer Ade Adetimehin to take over the chairmanship of the party from Hon Isaac Kekemeke who was the state chairman prior to the emergence of Aketi as Governor.

The very awkward manner Hon Kekemeke was spirited out of office in 2016 almost repeat itself in 2024 when some party members dissatisfied with the leadership style of Engineer Adetimehin did their best to rout him out of office before the actual expiration date of his tenure.

The concerned members accused the party chairman of high handedness and dictatorship and that he was the only one running the affairs of the party!

However, the newly elected governor of the state, Hon Lucky Aiyedatiwa helped to retrieve the neck of the party chairman from the guillotine it was placed by those who wanted him out of the party Secretariat by hook or by crook.

Now the time is here for a new party chairman to emerge and many eminently qualified party faithfuls have indicated interest to lead the party as it’s number one.

Among the list of interested contestants is Hon Babatunde Kolawole, also known as Amechi who is a distinguished politician and public servant.

Hon Kolawole who will be 50 years old in April, 2025 hails from Ifira in Akoko South East Local Government Area of Ondo State.

His educational background includes a Bachelor and Master’s Degree in Economics from Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti. He is currently a PhD student in Development Economics.

Does the cap fit?

Yes…!

Hon Kolawole was an NYSC Merit Award winner during his service year in Kaduna State between 1999 – 2000.

He was a former college tutor.

He is a former Honourable member of the Federal House of Representatives (MHR). He represented Akoko South East/West constituency between 2016 – 2019.

He is a former Special Adviser (SA) to Ondo State Governor on Rural and Community Development.

He was Chairman, House of Representatives Sub – Committee on Steel Sector in Nigeria.

He was an active member of numerous House Committee in the National Assembly which includes African Parliamentary Union (APU), Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Police Affairs, Public Accounts, Privatization and Commercialization, etc.

Why him?

Experience and knowledge counts.

Hon Babatunde Kolawole has a well grounded political tutelage, parliamentary experience and network of interpersonal relationship within government circle which are necessary tools needed to captain the ship of a political party in a state like Ondo.

Cerebrally and in a way that demands careful thinking and mental efforts, APC in Ondo State surely needs a young, vibrant and positively energetic personality to take the party from where it is now to where the leadership want it to be in the next four years.

Placed side by side with others, Hon Babatunde Kolawole’s youthfulness and warm disposition will resonate more with the youthful party members that are about 69% of it’s population.

In conclusion, Ondo State APC members must be conscientious in their decision on who becomes the next party chairman.

They must choose a candidate that will unite the party members and not divide them on the altar of ego and political self aggrandizement.

The State Governor, Hon Lucky Aiyedatiwa cannot afford to have a party chairman with an unbridled political dynasty expansion ambition, vendetta tendentiouness and Machiavellian mentality to lead the party for another four years.

With Hon Babatunde Kolawole, the party is in safe hands and the Governor is assured of unalloyed loyalty, respect and synergy towards a greater political party victory and stability in Ondo State and Nigeria.

Peter Adekunle writes from Akure, Ondo State.