The internal wrangling in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ondo State chapter, appears to be escalating, following reports that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has launched a covert recruitment drive to hire 100 media personnel across the state.
The media team, each allegedly offered a monthly stipend of ₦70,000, is expected to commence work next week. Their primary assignment, according to insider sources, is to coordinate a sustained media onslaught on Hon. Bunmi Tunji-Ojo (BTO), the Minister of Interior and one of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s most influential appointees from Ondo State.
The development, if confirmed, signals a dangerous widening of the rift within the APC family in Ondo. Political observers believe it reflects deep-seated rivalry between Aiyedatiwa and BTO, whose rising political profile and close ties with the Presidency are said to unsettle the governor’s camp ahead of future political permutations.
Party stakeholders warn that the alleged strategy could have far-reaching consequences for the party’s cohesion, with fears that it may pit state leadership against the federal government at a delicate time when President Tinubu is consolidating his reforms.
The Governor’s office has not issued an official statement regarding the allegations, while Minister Tunji-Ojo has maintained a studied silence. Meanwhile, grassroots members of the APC remain divided, with some accusing Aiyedatiwa of playing divisive politics and others insisting he is only protecting his political turf.
The coming weeks may prove decisive for the party in Ondo State, as this unfolding media war threatens to deepen fractures and reshape alliances within the APC.
