Ondo All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders and allies of the minister of interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has dismissed speculation of a rift between him and governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
Director general of the Progressive Network for Tinubu, Pastor Olumide Obadele, told journalists in Akure that there was no crisis within the state chapter of the party.
“Ondo APC is one family. No issue between the two of them, to the best of my knowledge. The governor is our governor, the minister is our own, and the party is our party,” Obadele said at the unveiling of the support group.
He added that the initiative was not a campaign organisation as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had not opened the window for electioneering campaigns, but that it was committed to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Supporters of Tunji-Ojo have also argued that attempts to link him to a 2028 governorship ambition were politically motivated.
In a commentary, media consultant Femi Salako said claims that the minister was plotting to challenge Aiyedatiwa were aimed at creating unnecessary tension.
Mr Salako added that the minister had been consistent in his loyalty to the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He cited reforms introduced in the Interior Ministry, including the clearance of a backlog of more than 200,000 passports, home and office passport delivery, e-gates at airports, electronic visa systems, landing and exit cards and the creation of a new Command and Control Centre.
According to him, Tunji-Ojo neither lobbied to become a minister nor has he shown interest in contesting the governorship election.
“Should the Interior Minister nurse a governorship ambition, he would, in his characteristic forthrightness, never have made secret of his desire,” he said.
Political analysts, however, note that the debate reflects early positioning ahead of the 2027 and 2028 elections.
Both the Ondo APC and Tunji-Ojo’s camp maintain that there is no conflict, only a joint commitment to Tinubu’s second-term bid.
