Ondo APC not divided, we’ll secure one million votes for Tinubu – Party chairman

The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State and former member of the House of Representatives, Babatunde Kolawole, says the party remains united despite disagreements among members ahead of the forthcoming elections. In this interview with PETER DADA, he speaks on the party’s internal crisis, reconciliation efforts, its relationship with political stakeholders and the APC’s target of securing one million votes for President Bola Tinubu in the state

Just a few months ago, you were elected chairman of the Ondo APC. How challenging has the position been, especially with the rancour among members and the elections coming up in less than a year?

It is normal for a political party to have issues. There will always be political bickering and arguments. But one good thing about our party, and as leaders of the party, is that we have internal mechanisms for resolving such disagreements and other issues. After my emergence as chairman of the party, we started working on strengthening the structure of the party, and before we knew it, we were already into elections. We had the by-election in the Ondo South Senatorial District, while, side by side, we were preparing for the general elections, including the primaries for the State House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senate. Before then, we also had the zonal and national conventions. So, there was virtually no breathing space. Political activities will always result in one issue or another. There is no way we can go through all these processes without disagreements or issues arising at the end of some of these programmes and events. We have to allow the process to run its course. It is like a cycle that we have to complete. After completing the cycle, we can then sit back as a party and as leaders and ask ourselves: How do we resolve the issues that have arisen as a result of some of these events? Just recently, we had our primaries for the State House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senate. Today, we have candidates who have emerged, and that completes the cycle I am talking about.

But it has become clear that your party is splitting, and with the election coming up in a few months, what is the current state of affairs in the party?

I don’t agree that the party is splitting in the state. For me, all those little issues are normal. They are normal political disagreements, and I have always said that they are not strong enough to divide us as a party in the state. The normal process is that after our primaries, there are various steps to be taken by the party and the national leadership. Those steps have been taken. The party leadership also has the right to take further steps as entrenched in the party’s constitution. A review committee was set up to look into the outcome of the primaries. The committee has submitted its report to the national leadership, and decisions have been taken. Again, I have always said that this is how the party operates. I contested for the House of Representatives. It was not a direct primary; it was an indirect process. I served for four years and wanted to return for another term, but I was denied. The leadership took its decision, and I had no choice but to abide by that decision. That is how it works. I am entitled to protest because I am human, and everybody is entitled to express his or her opinion. But you have to do it in a manner that, after expressing your grievances, allows the party leadership to reach out to you and appeal to you. For us in the APC, even if you don’t get a ticket, your value will still be appreciated. I couldn’t get a return ticket to the National Assembly, but I later became a special adviser to the government.

Are you not bothered that this development may affect the party in the general election?

As I said earlier, I see it as political bickering and minor disagreements, which are, of course, surmountable. I am glad to inform you that we have held extensive consultations with the leadership. We have also set up a reconciliation committee, and it has commenced work. I think that answers your question. We are very conscious of the situation, and it is important that, as we approach the various elections, particularly the presidential election, we put our house in order. Most importantly, we are focused on the election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The governor has made an executive declaration that Ondo State is for Tinubu. We are targeting a minimum of one million votes for the President, and we are putting our hands on deck to ensure that we achieve this. I cannot achieve this as an individual, and neither can the governor do it alone. We need everybody, including the media, to join hands with us to ensure that we return our President. I have no fear about the election.

You said the reconciliation committee has started work, but some of the aggrieved aspirants are still in court. One of them even went on national television to challenge the party leadership’s decision. Has the committee not reached out to them?

Let me start by saying that, as a party, we are guided by rules. As I said earlier, the reconciliation committee has already been put in place. On the disagreements you are referring to, we have taken a step by establishing the reconciliation committee, and it has been given the responsibility of looking into the issues involving aggrieved members. If there are disagreements, political bickering and other issues, the committee will look into them and reach out to all aggrieved members. This is normal. After every political activity, whether primaries, congresses or elections, winners will emerge, while those who could not win for one reason or another have the right to express their views about what happened. The person who went on national television is entitled to his opinion and, of course, has the freedom of speech. Whatever he says, as I have stated, is his personal opinion. We cannot deny him that right. He did not speak on behalf of the party, the party leader or the government. He went there as an individual and expressed his views.

What about those who are in court?

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The reconciliation committee will reach out to everyone, and I believe we will achieve success at the end of the day.

One can see that the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa do not appear to be on the same page. What is your take on that development?

I repeat, there is no division anywhere in Ondo APC. I have met with the Minister of Interior several times. We have sat down together and had discussions. I have also met with the Minister of Youth, and we have had conversations. I have been relating with the ministers based on the various activities we have undertaken over time, including the congresses, the zonal and national conventions, preparations for the primaries, the internal structure of the party, the State Working Committee, the expanded caucus and other segments of the party that we need to engage with. These are all part of the activities outlined in our work plan by the State Working Committee. I have been engaging with them, and I have spoken with virtually all three ministers, particularly those who are politically active. We have the Minister of Youth and the Minister of Interior, and both are politically active. For me, what is important is the result. It is the result that matters. But I can tell you that we have a good relationship with all three ministers.

But it was gathered that many members of the party are more loyal to Tunji-Ojo than to the governor, while many Tinubu support groups in the state are reportedly sponsored by him. What is your response?

I don’t know why we are trying to create or portray some kind of division. The support groups are all working towards the progressive ideals of the party. Whoever sponsors them does not matter. We are all members of the same party. I had a discussion with one of the support groups recently, and I told them that I also want to support them as much as possible because we have a target ahead of us. To achieve that target, we need all the support groups. I want to tell you that we have about 84 support groups that have registered with us. We must achieve the one-million-vote target. Let me tell you the reality of the matter: forget about what is happening within the state capital. Every politics is local and grassroots-based. I don’t believe in coming to the state capital to do everything. I believe in engaging with the people at the grassroots.

Whatever support comes from the governor or the national leadership of the party will be channelled through the party to all the registered support groups. That is the line of engagement; that is how it flows, from the top to the bottom. So, the support groups are here, and there is no division anywhere. They are working for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and for the other categories of elections—the House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senate. We have gone through the various stages of our political activities, including congresses and the primaries for the House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senate. What we need to do now is to work together and ensure victory for the party.

As of today, there is a perception across the country that the APC has weakened or even killed the opposition. The same thing appears to be happening in Ondo State. Do you think this is a good development for Nigerian democracy?

You said, if I am not mistaken, that the opposition is dead or that there is no opposition in Nigeria, particularly in Ondo State. I don’t think that is our fault as a party, and I also wouldn’t agree entirely that there is no opposition in Ondo State. As of today, we have opposition parties. We have people who have expressed interest in various elective positions, including the State House of Assembly and House of Representatives, from other political parties. They are not one, two or even 10. They are opposition parties, and they are going to contest the forthcoming elections with us. What I see is that people are being attracted to the APC because of the achievements of President Tinubu. We have the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, which, of course, all of us are proud of today, and it is already having an impact. If you travel through Akure, or from Lagos through Ibadan and Ilesa to Akure, you can see that work is ongoing on our roads. These are not just political statements; they are things that we can all see physically. Are we talking about the student loan? Are we talking about the removal of the fuel subsidy and the decision to take the bull by the horns? Are we talking about security? We may not be where we want to be yet, but efforts are being made on a daily basis. Of course, we are not the architects of everything happening in the country today. Some of the parties that were in government before us probably contributed to the situation we are in today. But the issue is that decisive steps and actions have been taken by our national leader, the President, and we are already seeing the results. That is our leader at the national level. At the sub-national level, we have our governors as leaders. I have always mentioned that we have the Renewed Hope Agenda at the national level, while we have our own agenda at the state level, where the governor is the leader of the party in the state. Both agendas are people-oriented because they are focused on the welfare of the people and on improving the lives of Nigerians, particularly the people of Ondo State. We can also see the structures and infrastructure that have been developed in Ondo State. Those are some of the things attracting members of opposition parties to the APC, and we should not be blamed for that.

But they don’t seem to be a threat to you?

If you say those opposition parties are not a threat to us, I would say yes, they are not a threat to us as a party. As I said earlier, you cannot blame us for strengthening our party. What is attracting people to the APC is what the party is doing at the national level under the leadership of the President.