The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State has commenced plans to establish nine-member reconciliation committees across the state’s 18 local government areas as part of efforts to address internal grievances and strengthen unity within the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The proposed structure will produce 162 members across the 18 local government areas and take the reconciliation process to the grassroots.

Chairman of the Ondo APC Reconciliation Committee, Prince Biyi Poroye, disclosed this during an interactive session with local government party chairmen, council chairmen and other stakeholders from across the state.

Poroye said the initiative was aimed at resolving lingering disagreements among members and rebuilding trust within the party.

He said the exercise was not only about preparing for the 2027 elections but also about changing the attitudes of members and encouraging them to move beyond past disagreements.

“For us, reconciliation is about addressing the mindsets of party members so that people can change from their former positions to new positions, bearing in mind that there is nothing to share in losing,” he said.

According to him, the nine-member committees would serve as a channel through which grievances could be addressed at the local level.
“This is how we will reach the grassroots. That is our mission. Our people must not just read the news; they must hear directly from our leaders,” Poroye said.

He said the committee had received complaints from members who felt they were not adequately carried along by the administration, particularly in the area of empowerment.

Poroye urged party leaders and political office holders to work together and ensure that members were carried along, warning that persistent internal disputes could weaken the party.

“We are shortchanging ourselves if we keep fighting one another,” he said, adding that members should learn to manage political setbacks without allowing them to create permanent divisions.

“If you contest and the party changes your name, it should not be the end of life. We are appealing to our members that reconciliation is possible,” he added.

The Chief of Staff to the governor, Prince Segun Omojuwa, commended the initiative and described the extension of the reconciliation process to the grassroots as an important step.
Omojuwa also described Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa as a “champion of peace,” saying the governor’s commitment to reconciliation could contribute to political stability in the state.

“I want to thank the Governor of Ondo State for believing in peace. This is what can really move our state forward,” he said.

Chairman of Idanre Local Government, Smart Omotadowa, also supported the grassroots approach, saying reconciliation must reach party members at the local level to be effective.

He urged APC members across the 18 local government areas to support the party and work together ahead of the 2027 elections.

A member of the reconciliation committee, Erelu Mudupola Martins, called for genuine reconciliation, warning that unresolved grievances could affect the party’s performance in future elections.

“There is no second in any election. We can’t afford to lose any position to the opposition,” she said.

Martins urged stakeholders to support the reconciliation process and “come together and close ranks” ahead of the 2027 elections.

She also said the party was seeking to improve on its performance in the 2023 presidential election in the state.

“We gave Tinubu 68 per cent in 2023; we want to do more than that in 2027,” Martins said.