Ondo APC chieftain urges party to reward loyal members

By Boye Oyeyemi

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State, Dr Femi Akinkuebi, has urged the party’s state and national leadership to uphold loyalty, fairness and unity in handling internal affairs, warning that members’ sacrifices should not be taken for granted.

Akinkuebi, in a statement titled “Loyalty Should Never Be Mistaken for Weakness,” said the events surrounding the Ondo East/West Federal Constituency contest should prompt the party to reflect on how it treats members who place collective interest above personal ambition.

He disclosed that although he had planned to contest the House of Representatives seat, he voluntarily withdrew after consultations and a careful assessment of the political situation, saying the decision was made to promote party unity and support the leadership of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

“I had every legitimate intention to aspire for the House of Representatives seat. However, after careful consultations and a strategic assessment of the bigger picture, I chose not to enter the contest. It was a conscious decision made in the interest of party unity and stability,” Akinkuebi said.

The APC stalwart added that several aspirants from Ondo East and Ondo West also stepped aside to support the emergence of Hon. Abiola Makinde for a third term, despite arguments that equity favoured Ondo East producing the next representative.

He stressed that such decisions reflected discipline and confidence in the party’s leadership, but warned that many loyal members were becoming concerned that their sacrifices had not received the recognition they deserved.

“Sacrifice must never become a permanent political disadvantage. The party has grown because thousands of loyal members have consistently placed its success above their personal ambitions. Their loyalty should be recognised and valued,” he stated.

Akinkuebi also appealed to APC leaders to resolve lingering political disagreements, including issues involving the Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji, through dialogue, fairness and reconciliation, insisting that lasting party strength depends on rewarding loyalty and preserving unity rather than deepening internal divisions.