Says I Have No Rift With Aiyedatiwa – Kekemeke

Rather than thaw, the crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State over the outcome of primaries worsened as some leaders of the party have adopted a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Matthew Oyerinmade, for the Ondo South senatorial seat.

Oyerinmade, popularly called MATO, was the preferred candidate of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo/ Odigbo federal constituency. He, however, lost out to the incumbent, Hon Festus Ayodele Adefiranye.

Displeased with the outcome of the primary, Oyerinmade has picked the ticket of the PDP. He has been adopted by some supporters of Governor Aiyedatiwa at a political gathering held at Okitipupa Local Government, fueling the suspicion that the governor has shifted his support from the APC candidate, Dr Duerimini Isaacs Kekemeke.

Kekemeke, a former South-West Vice Chairman of the APC and a known ally of the governor, was reportedly backed and nominated by Aiyedatiwa for the party’s Ondo South senatorial ticket in the run-up to the National Assembly primary.

The governor had insisted on Kekemeke even as the Ondo South senatorial slot was the only one the National Working Committee(NWC) of the APC retained among the three preferred choices made by Aiyedatiwa among the three senatorial slots across the state.

There has been no official confirmation or denial by Governor Aiyedatiwa, even though Kekemeke asserted that he and the governor had no issues warranting a shift by the governor, insisting that he still had the backing of the governor.

The development has generated political controversy in the state, particularly among APC members who are questioning the alleged decision to abandon Kekemeke midway for Oyerinmade, a former APC member whose membership of the PDP has yet to be officially confirmed.

Sources within the political circles in the state insinuated that Oyerinmade’s decision to join the PDP and his subsequent senatorial ambition had the backing of the governor.

Although there has been no public confirmation or denial from Aiyedatiwa that he is sponsoring Oyerinmade’s ambition, the presence of several Ondo South APC chieftains at Oyerinmade’s declaration on the platform of the PDP in Okitipupa has fuelled the speculation.

Those present reportedly included some political appointees of the governor, councillors and APC executive members, and serving councillors from the senatorial district.

Their presence, according to political observers, has further strengthened the allegation that influential figures within the APC structure are working to support Oyerinmade’s senatorial bid despite his defection to the PDP.

The development has also revived allegations surrounding the existence of a group known as the Rainbow Coalition, which some APC members have accused of being backed by the governor to enable his loyalists to contest the 2027 National Assembly elections on the platforms of other political parties.

There are also claims within the APC that Aiyedatiwa has been unhappy with the outcome of the party’s National Assembly primary elections, particularly the defeat of some aspirants believed to have enjoyed his support.

Many political observers have described the development as surprising, given Kekemeke’s relationship with Aiyedatiwa and the governor’s reported role in his emergence as the APC senatorial candidate.

Kekemeke has dismissed reports of a rift between him and Aiyedatiwa, describing the reports as the handiwork of his political opponents.

He said there was no basis for claims that the governor had withdrawn his support for his senatorial ambition or endorsed a candidate of another political party.

Kekemeke said Aiyedatiwa played a significant role in his emergence as the APC candidate during the party’s primary election.

According to him, “Nothing has happened between me and the governor to change gear. There is no friction. The governor supported me in the primaries. In fact, he was my promoter, and he did everything he could to ensure that I emerged victorious.”

The APC senatorial candidate also reaffirmed his loyalty to the governor, describing Aiyedatiwa as his benefactor and the leader of the APC in Ondo State.

His words: “The truth is the governor remains my benefactor and the leader of our party in the state, as it is with all serving governors.”

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