Ondo South Senatorial Seat: Aiyedatiwa Denies Withdrawing Support For Kekemeke

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has denied reports that he has shifted his support from the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Ondo South Senatorial District, Dr Isaac Kekemeke, to the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Matthew Oyerinmade.

Aiyedatiwa, who spoke through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Engagement, Steve Otaloro, said there was no truth in the allegation, insisting that he remained committed to the APC and its candidates.
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, fresh political realignments in Ondo State have raised questions over the relationship between Governor Aiyedatiwa and Kekemeke.

Kekemeke, a former South-West Vice Chairman of the APC and a known ally of the governor, was reportedly backed and nominated by Aiyedatiwa for the party’s Ondo South senatorial ticket in the run-up to the National Assembly primary.

The governor, it was learnt, had insisted on Kekemeke, even as the Ondo South senatorial slot was the only one the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC retained among the three preferred choices made by Aiyedatiwa for the three senatorial slots across the state.

However, the governor is now alleged to have shifted his support to Hon. Matthew Oyerinmade, popularly known as MATO, who is expected to emerge as the Ondo South senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) any moment from now.

Aiyedatiwa however denied backing the PDP candidate against the APC candidate, saying, “I have not abandoned the APC candidate, neither am I supporting the candidate of another political party.”

The governor said he remained a committed member and leader of the APC in Ondo State, stressing that his loyalty to the progressive political family dated back to the days of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), which later metamorphosed into the APC.

He said it was inconceivable that, as the leader of the APC in Ondo State, he would deliberately pitch his tent against the candidate of the party in favour of an opposition candidate.

Aiyedatiwa said he had never authorised anyone to speak on his behalf in support of any opposition candidate, urging members of the public to disregard any claim suggesting otherwise.

He described the allegation as false, mischievous and politically motivated, saying his political loyalty and responsibility as the leader of the APC in the state would not permit him to undermine the party.

The governor also recalled that Kekemeke had publicly dismissed reports of any disagreement between them, affirming that he supported his emergence as the APC’s candidate and remained his political benefactor and the leader of the party in the state.

Aiyedatiwa said the alleged shift in his support was an attempt by political actors to create unnecessary division between him and the APC senatorial candidate.

He urged APC supporters and the people of Ondo State to disregard the rumour, reiterating that he remained an APC leader and loyalist committed to the success of the party and its candidates.

“I will not support any candidate against the party I lead,” the governor insisted.

The development has generated political controversy in the state, particularly among APC members who are questioning the alleged decision to abandon Kekemeke midway for Oyerinmade, a former APC member whose membership of the PDP has yet to be officially confirmed.

Oyerinmade had initially been listed by Governor Aiyedatiwa as his preferred candidate for the Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo-Odigbo Federal Constituency during the APC primary election. He, however, lost the primary to Hon. Festus Adefiranye and subsequently challenged the outcome in court, but his case was dismissed.

Sources within political circles in Ondo State alleged that Oyerinmade’s decision to join the PDP and his subsequent senatorial ambition had the backing of the governor.

Although there has been no public confirmation or denial from Aiyedatiwa that he is sponsoring Oyerinmade’s ambition, the presence of several Ondo South APC chieftains at Oyerinmade’s declaration on the platform of the PDP in Okitipupa last week has fuelled the speculation.

Those present reportedly included some political appointees of the governor, councillors, APC executive members and serving councillors from the senatorial district.

Their presence, according to political observers, has further strengthened the allegation that influential figures within the APC structure are working to support Oyerinmade’s senatorial bid despite his defection to the PDP.

The development has also revived allegations surrounding the existence of a group known as the Rainbow Coalition, which some APC members have accused of being backed by the governor to enable his loyalists to contest the 2027 National Assembly elections on the platforms of other political parties.

There are also claims within the APC that Aiyedatiwa has been unhappy with the outcome of the party’s National Assembly primary elections, particularly the defeat of some aspirants believed to have enjoyed his support.

It was against this background that the alleged shift of support from Kekemeke, who was initially backed by the governor for the Ondo South senatorial ticket, to Oyerinmade, now the PDP candidate, has become a subject of intense political discussion.

Many political observers have described the development as surprising, given Kekemeke’s relationship with Aiyedatiwa and the governor’s reported role in his emergence as the APC senatorial candidate.

Despite the speculation, however, Kekemeke has dismissed reports of a rift between him and Aiyedatiwa, describing the reports as the handiwork of his political opponents.

He said there was no basis for claims that the governor had withdrawn his support for his senatorial ambition or endorsed a candidate of another political party.

Kekemeke said Aiyedatiwa played a significant role in his emergence as the APC candidate during the party’s primary election.

“Nothing has happened between me and the governor to change gear. There is no friction,” he said.

“The governor supported me in the primaries. In fact, he was my promoter, and he did everything he could to ensure that I emerged victorious.”

The APC senatorial candidate also reaffirmed his loyalty to the governor, describing Aiyedatiwa as his benefactor and the leader of the APC in Ondo State.

“The truth is the governor remains my benefactor and the leader of our party in the state, as it is with all serving governors,” he said.