Ondo group alleges voter intimidation, backs Tinubu’s re-election

By Boye Oyeyemi

The Ondo South Alliance has accused the Ondo State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Amidu Takuro, of allegedly intimidating voters in Odigbo Local Government Area ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The group’s coordinator, Comrade Taiwo Alewi, made the allegation in a statement dated October 27, condemning a meeting allegedly convened by the commissioner in Odigbo, where residents were reportedly pressured over their voting choices.

Alewi described the alleged action as an attempt to undermine voters’ freedom, insisting that residents should be allowed to choose their preferred candidates without intimidation or political interference.

The group condemned what it described as a “desperate, selfish and anti-democratic move,” alleging that the commissioner was motivated by personal political ambitions. However, the allegations could not be independently verified from the statement.

Despite its concerns, the alliance reaffirmed its support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027. It said, however, that its support for senatorial and House of Representatives candidates would depend on their competence, accessibility and ability to deliver development.

“Our support for Mr. President is total and non-negotiable. We shall deliver maximum votes for him,” the group declared, adding that its members were not necessarily bound to support candidates from the same political party across all elective positions.

The alliance also said the Ondo South Rainbow Coalition 2027 was established to unite political interests across party lines and promote candidates it considered credible, including Hon. Matthew Oye Oyerinmade, popularly known as MATO.

It urged Takuro and other political actors to desist from alleged voter intimidation, calling on residents of Odigbo and other parts of Ondo South to exercise their voting rights freely in the forthcoming elections.