Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has denied allegations that he is involved in anti-party activities, describing his accusers as “blackmailers, naysayers and slanderers.”

Aiyedatiwa said the allegations were politically motivated and intended to undermine his administration ahead of the 2027 general election.

The governor spoke at a stakeholders’ meeting with All Progressives Congress (APC) local government and ward chairmen in Akure.

He insisted that he had never engaged in anti-party activities or directed any APC candidate or member to defect to another political party.

“I have zero tolerance for anti-party activities. I have never engaged in anti-party activities in my life,” Aiyedatiwa said.

He added: “I have not asked any of the candidates contesting in the general election to engage in anti-party activities.”

The governor also dismissed allegations that his administration was sponsoring APC members to defect to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other opposition parties.

“So, no to anti-party. That’s what I’m trying to say. Let’s support Mr President and all the candidates of our party,” he said.

Aiyedatiwa urged the APC’s 18 local government and 203 ward chairmen to mobilise members at the grassroots and work towards victory for the party in the forthcoming elections.

He described the ward and local government chairmen as critical to the party’s structure and electoral machinery, stressing that elections are ultimately won at polling units.

“Elections are won at the polling units, and the polling units are right there in the ward. And you are the ward chairmen. Very, very important.

“You are occupying a significant role in the party structure,” he said.

The governor also cited his political history as evidence of his loyalty to the progressive political family.

He recalled that when the Labour Party was in government and the PDP was politically dominant in the state, particularly in his senatorial district and local government, he chose to join the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and later the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) despite the parties being out of government.

Aiyedatiwa also recounted his political experiences between 2010 and 2020, including his emergence as deputy governor and the 2019 APC primary election.

He said although he won the primary, the party leadership in Abuja overturned the result, adding that the experience taught him the importance of respecting the authority and decisions of the party leadership.

The governor said he had also supported aspirants in the past based on decisions reached by party leaders after consultations, stressing the importance of discipline and loyalty within the APC.

He directed ward chairmen and secretaries to hold regular meetings and bring party leaders together to discuss party affairs and preparations for the elections.

According to him, mobilisation should remain the primary focus of the meetings and must not be accompanied by anti-party activities.

The APC state chairman, Babatunde Kolawole, urged members to remain loyal to Aiyedatiwa and the party, saying the governor’s position as the party leader in the state made such loyalty essential to the APC’s success.

Kolawole directed local government and ward chairmen to support all APC candidates, saying Aiyedatiwa had instructed the party to work towards 100 per cent support for its candidates.

He warned that anti-party activities would not be tolerated and said the party had gathered intelligence on alleged acts of disloyalty.

According to him, members found culpable would face appropriate consequences.

Kolawole expressed confidence that the APC would win the presidential, National Assembly and House of Assembly elections in Ondo State.

He also commended Aiyedatiwa for activating party organs, including the State Executive Committee, Caucus and Elders Council.

The chairman praised the governor for approving regular ward meetings and increasing the allowances of ward and local government chairmen by 100 per cent. He added that allowances for state party executives had also been increased.

Speaking on behalf of the 18 local government chairmen, Oluwadare Fadumo commended Aiyedatiwa for what he described as unprecedented support for local councils and their residents.

Fadumo said the administration’s projects and empowerment programmes had benefited market women and youths across the state.

He also praised the increase in allowances for party chairmen, saying it had generated excitement among members.

“We want to thank you because this is the first time this is happening in the history of politics in Ondo State,” he said.