Prioritise Tinubu’s re-election over personal ambitions, ex-Ondo speaker tells APC aspirants

By Boye Oyeyemi

A former Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Jumoke Akindele, has called on aspirants of the All Progressives Congress in the state to prioritise the re-election of Bola Ahmed Tinubu above personal political ambitions.

In a message addressed to party hopefuls, Akindele emphasised that individual aspirations should remain flexible, while President Tinubu’s second term bid must be treated as the party’s overriding objective.

“I must be frank, while our ambition at this moment is negotiable, the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is non-negotiable,” she said.

She further disclosed that stakeholders in Ondo State had set a target of delivering no fewer than one million votes for Tinubu, warning that actions capable of undermining the goal must be avoided.

“Since we have all agreed that from Ondo State alone we must give him not less than a million votes, we must do nothing to jeopardise that goal, particularly on the altar of our personal goals,” she added.

Akindele also stressed the importance of unity within the party, noting that internal competition should strengthen, rather than weaken, the APC.

“Our contests should sharpen us, not scatter us. The very platform that carries our aspirations must not become collateral damage in the pursuit of individual goals,” she said, while cautioning that disunity could weaken the party’s chances.

To foster cohesion, the former speaker proposed a strategic meeting among aspirants to harmonise interests and build a common front ahead of future contests, offering to host the engagement at a mutually agreed venue to secure both electoral victory and the party’s long-term stability.