Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for Ondo Central Senatorial District, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, has denied entering into any political pact with Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Akinyelure, who represented Ondo Central in the 7th and 9th Senates on the platforms of the Labour Party (LP) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), respectively, said his recent meeting with the governor was not a political negotiation.
Speaking at a media conference in Akure, the Ondo State capital, the former senator said he only approached Aiyedatiwa to clarify his political future within the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to him, the governor was straightforward in informing him that the APC senatorial ticket for Ondo Central had already been earmarked for another aspirant.
“The only thing I needed was to know whether the party would give me the ticket back to the Senate because I believe I am the most qualified person to represent Ondo Central,” Akinyelure said.
He added that he appreciated the governor's honesty, saying Aiyedatiwa could have promised to support him during the primary if he intended to deceive him.
“At least, he was honest with me, so no political pact,” he said.
Explaining his decision to contest under the ADC, Akinyelure said he still had unfinished legislative business after losing the PDP ticket ahead of the 2023 elections.
He said he remained loyal to the PDP despite pressure from some colleagues to defect, noting that he eventually resigned his membership after completing his four-year mandate.
“It’s only when you stay there for long that you become very relevant to your constituents. I want to remain relevant and continue to serve my people,” he said.
According to him, leaving a party that would not provide him with a platform to pursue his political ambition became necessary.
“In my training, integrity is the highest calling. PDP gave me a mandate, and I completed that mandate before leaving. I resigned my PDP membership on May 30, 2023, to take effect on June 12 after completing the four-year mandate,” he said.
Akinyelure said the ADC approached him after he left the APC, offering him a platform to continue his political career and contribute to the development of the party.
“Since APC gave me a red card, I had to move to where my interest and the interest of my people would be protected,” he said.
He urged voters in Ondo Central to judge him based on his record of representation rather than party affiliation.
“Anybody in Ondo Central who believes I represented them well can vote for me irrespective of their political party. Whether APC, ADC, Labour Party or SDP, what matters is good representation,” he said.
The former senator said returning to the National Assembly would give him an opportunity to complete legislative initiatives he said were left unfinished.
“There are bills that I am supposed to conclude. That will be one of my priorities when I return to the Senate. I have unfinished work in the National Assembly and many things on my mind for the development of Ondo Central,” he said.
Akinyelure also disclosed that he appealed to Governor Aiyedatiwa, in his capacity as the state's chief security officer, to ensure that the votes of residents across the three senatorial districts are protected during the forthcoming elections.
“I told the governor, as the chief security officer of the state, to ensure that the votes of the people count in the North, Central and South Senatorial Districts. That was my message. I was not invited to any political arrangement,” he said.
He further pledged to work with whoever emerges as president in 2027 if elected to represent Ondo Central.
“Whoever becomes president, I know how to navigate and get what belongs to Ondo Central. My concern is the welfare and development of my people,” Akinyelure said.
