Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has said the sweeping reforms introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu are responsible for the growing wave of governors from other political parties joining the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The governor made this known during a statewide thank-you tour of local government areas, which began in the Akoko axis. The tour covered Akoko North-West, Akoko North-East, Akoko South-East and Akoko South-West, where he expressed appreciation to residents for their support and urged them to sustain backing for President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election.
At the Secretariat of Akoko North-West Local Government, Aiyedatiwa commissioned five utility vehicles for traditional rulers and a bus for the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), describing the gesture as part of efforts to strengthen governance at the grassroots.
Addressing party members and community leaders, the governor said the APC’s growing national strength and visible infrastructural development were direct outcomes of Tinubu’s economic reforms. According to him, these reforms have made the ruling party more attractive to political leaders across the country.
Aiyedatiwa also disclosed that his opponent in the 2024 governorship election, Hon. Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had met with him and agreed to defect to the APC, with the official announcement to be made at a later date.
He cited projects such as the ongoing dualisation of the Ikare–Akungba road as evidence that Tinubu’s policies are already delivering tangible benefits to Ondo State, particularly in the Akoko region.
“I am here to greet you and thank you,” the governor told residents. “Some people say politicians don’t return after elections. I don’t have any election now; I only came to appreciate you for supporting my administration.”
The governor also called for unity within the APC, urging members to avoid internal crises and resolve disagreements through dialogue in preparation for the 2027 elections. He reassured party faithful that all interests would be accommodated peacefully.
Deputy Governor Dr Olayide Adelami, speaking during the tour in Oka Akoko, thanked residents and party members for their massive turnout, while the governor also paid courtesy visits to communities in Akoko South-East.
As part of the tour, palliatives were distributed across the local government areas visited, rounding off what the governor described as a sincere gesture of gratitude to party members and supporters.
