Elders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ondo State on Wednesday warned members of the party against engaging in coalition politics with other parties, stressing such actions are anti-party and will fail.
The elders under the aegis of PBAT Mandate Elders Forum, distanced themselves from the proposed ‘Rainbow Coalition’ in the state, emphasising that APC is popular enough to secure victory without forming an alliance capable of sacrificing candidates of the party.
Speaking at a press briefing in Akure, the state capital, the Chairman of the Forum, Demola Ijabiyi, emphasised that the elders are not antagonistic to the state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, describing him as the leader of the party in the state.
Ijabiyi stated that the coalition arrangement is not necessary in the state, arguing that the main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has collapsed and does not pose a threat.
He further explained that while the coalition might be useful in states where the party is weak, Ondo State is an APC stronghold that does not require such compromise.
He said, “There might be rainbow coalitions everywhere. Every piece is dominant in those states. We have no reason to be catering away our candidates for any rainbow coalition.
“The major political opponent that we have in all Ondo state was, and I deliberately use the word, was, was PDP. Where is PDP today? Where are their candidates? They have gone down in the country.
“Now, is it all these emergency parties? These emergency candidates that we are going to step down for? We have no cause for that.”