The Director General of the Opomulero Group, Hon. Olasupo Olakunori Michael, has rejected the attempt by former spokesperson to the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, Richard Olatunde, to portray Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa as being afraid of the political activities of the Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
According to the DG, the issue is not about personal fear, rivalry or opposition to anybody’s support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The real issue is the need to protect the unity, stability and institutional integrity of the APC in Ondo State.
Governor Aiyedatiwa is the sitting Governor of Ondo State and the leader of the APC government in the state. His authority and mandate cannot be deliberately weakened or undermined through the creation of political structures that operate outside the recognised party leadership.
AIYEDATIWA IS NOT AFRAID OF BTO
Let us be clear: Governor Aiyedatiwa is not afraid of anybody.
A Governor who secured the APC governorship ticket and subsequently won the governorship election across the 18 local government areas of Ondo State does not need to be portrayed as someone intimidated by the political activities of a federal Minister.
If Hon. Tunji-Ojo is mobilising support for President Tinubu’s 2027 re-election, nobody should object to that.
President Tinubu deserves the support of every member of the APC and every Nigerian who believes in his administration.
But supporting President Tinubu cannot automatically make every political organisation established or associated with an individual a legitimate APC structure.
That distinction must be made.
ONDO STATE HAS THREE FEDERAL MINISTERS — WHY IS BTO’S POLITICAL MOBILISATION BEING SINGLED OUT?
There is another question Richard Olatunde and those defending this narrative should answer.
Ondo State is represented in the Federal Executive Council by three prominent ministers, including the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, the Minister of Interior, and the Minister of Youth Development.
Are we now saying that only the Minister of Interior is capable of supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election?
Are the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Youth Development not also members of the President’s cabinet?
Are they not equally interested in the success of President Tinubu’s administration?
Are they not also expected to support the President and the APC?
If every minister from Ondo State is a stakeholder in the success of President Tinubu, why has the political conversation suddenly become overwhelmingly centred on the activities of one minister?
This is precisely where the argument about fear becomes questionable.
Supporting President Tinubu is not the exclusive responsibility of one minister.
It is the responsibility of every APC member, every elected office holder, every appointee and every supporter of the administration.
Therefore, nobody should create the impression that supporting President Tinubu’s 2027 project is the exclusive political territory of Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
The President belongs to all of us.
PRESIDENT TINUBU’S 2027 PROJECT MUST NOT BE CONFUSED WITH PERSONAL POLITICAL AMBITION
Nobody owns President Tinubu’s 2027 project.
Not the Governor.
Not the Minister.
Not the DG of any political group.
Not any APC elder.
President Tinubu belongs to the entire APC family and his re-election should be a collective responsibility.
That is precisely why we must be careful not to use the President’s name as a political shield whenever legitimate questions are raised about political activities in Ondo State.
If political organisations are genuinely established only to support President Tinubu, then their activities should remain focused on that objective.
But when multiple political platforms begin to generate intense political visibility and are increasingly interpreted within the context of future succession politics, Ondo people have every right to ask questions.
Questioning such activities is not opposition to Tinubu.
It is not an attack on BTO.
And it is certainly not evidence that Governor Aiyedatiwa is afraid.
WE DO NOT NEED COMPETING CLAIMS ABOUT WHO IS “BIGGEST”
The Opomulero Group does not need to engage in the unnecessary competition of declaring itself bigger than every other political organisation in Ondo State.
We are confident in our history, our members, our structures and our contribution to the APC.
Opomulero has been involved in political mobilisation in Ondo State for years, with members and coordinators across the state. The group has consistently participated in political activities and supported the APC.
That record speaks for itself.
There is therefore no need to manufacture figures or make exaggerated claims about being the only group capable of delivering votes.
The 2027 election will not be won by noise, billboards or competing claims of superiority.
It will be won through genuine mobilisation, party unity, credible leadership and the support of the people.
THE GOVERNOR DOES NOT NEED TO COMPETE WITH A MINISTER OVER POLITICAL GROUPS
The argument that Governor Aiyedatiwa must establish numerous organisations before he can demonstrate his support for President Tinubu is misplaced.
The Governor’s responsibility is to govern Ondo State, strengthen the APC, maintain peace and stability, deliver development and support the success of President Tinubu’s administration.
He does not need to compete with anybody over the number of political organisations carrying photographs or political messages.
Government performance is itself a form of mobilisation.
The people will judge leadership by what they see, what they experience and what they benefit from.
BTO IS A MINISTER; AIYEDATIWA IS THE GOVERNOR
Nobody is denying Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo his political relevance.
He is a federal Minister and a prominent political figure from Ondo State.
But that does not erase the constitutional and political position of Governor Aiyedatiwa as the elected Governor of Ondo State.
Both men can support President Tinubu.
Both can contribute to the success of the APC.
Both can mobilise supporters.
But political activities should not be allowed to create an atmosphere in which the authority of the elected Governor is deliberately weakened or treated as secondary.
That is where the concern lies.
CRITICISM OF PARALLEL STRUCTURES IS NOT AN ATTACK ON TINUBU
Richard Olatunde should not confuse legitimate political criticism with an attack on President Tinubu.
Nobody is saying that APC members should not mobilise for the President.
Nobody is saying that BTO should not support Tinubu.
Nobody is saying that APC elders cannot express their opinions.
The question is whether political structures created around individual political actors should operate in a manner that creates competing centres of influence within the party.
That is a legitimate political question.
And Ondo people have every right to ask it.
WHERE IS THE EVIDENCE THAT AIYEDATIWA IS AFRAID?
If Governor Aiyedatiwa is supposedly afraid of BTO, then those making the allegation should provide the evidence.
What has the Governor done that demonstrates fear?
Has he stopped the Minister from supporting President Tinubu?
Has he prevented APC members from mobilising?
Has he declared himself opposed to the President’s 2027 re-election?
The answer is no.
What we have instead is a Governor who has repeatedly demonstrated his commitment to the APC and President Tinubu.
Therefore, repeatedly describing him as “afraid of BTO” appears less like an analysis of the Governor’s conduct and more like an attempt to manufacture a political narrative.
RECONCILIATION MUST NOT MEAN SURRENDER
If APC elders are calling for reconciliation between Governor Aiyedatiwa and Minister Tunji-Ojo, that is their right.
Nobody is against reconciliation.
But genuine reconciliation must be based on mutual respect.
It cannot mean that one person must apologise while the other side is presented as completely blameless.
It cannot mean that the Governor must surrender his authority to satisfy political interests outside the recognised structures of government and the party.
Reconciliation should strengthen APC.
It should not create another platform for political submission.
APC UNITY MUST BE FOR EVERYBODY
Those calling for APC unity must understand that unity cannot be selective.
You cannot demand unity from the Governor while ignoring activities that may create parallel political structures.
You cannot invoke President Tinubu’s name to defend one political tendency and then accuse another tendency of disloyalty for raising concerns.
You cannot ask the Governor to reconcile while refusing to acknowledge the need for all political actors to respect the office of the Governor.
APC unity must be built on mutual respect, not intimidation.
THE PEOPLE WILL DECIDE
Governor Aiyedatiwa has a mandate.
He has a responsibility to govern.
He has a responsibility to protect the stability of Ondo State and the APC.
He also has the right to question any political development that he believes could weaken the party or undermine its elected leadership.
That should not be interpreted as fear.
The Minister is free to support President Tinubu.
APC members are free to mobilise.
Political groups are free to operate within the law.
But nobody should use the President’s name as a licence to create an atmosphere of competing authority within Ondo APC.
The Opomulero Group will continue to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the APC and every genuine effort to strengthen the party.
We will also continue to defend the legitimate authority of Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa and speak whenever political activities threaten the unity and stability of the party.
We are not interested in declaring that one political group is bigger than another.
We are interested in results, loyalty, genuine mobilisation and the future of Ondo State.
Let everybody mobilise for President Tinubu.
Let everybody support APC.
Let everybody present their records.
And ultimately, let the people decide.
Enough of manufacturing fear where none exists. Governor Aiyedatiwa is focused on governance, party unity and the success of President Tinubu. He is not afraid of anybody.
— Hon. Olasupo Olakunori Michael
DG, Opomulero Group
