Akure – The Ondo State Commissioner representing the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Otito Atikase, has called on Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and his supporters to accept the outcome of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Assembly primary elections, urging them to place party loyalty and discipline above personal interests.
In a statement titled “Political Loyalty: A Test of Character and Party Discipline,” Atikase argued that true political loyalty is demonstrated by accepting unfavourable decisions in the interest of party unity.
Reflecting on his political journey, the APC chieftain said he had prepared himself for both victory and defeat since joining politics, stressing that resilience requires the ability to anticipate, cope with and adapt to changing political realities.
He said that while he was in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he studied the party’s internal processes and successfully won all the primary elections he contested because candidate selection was largely determined through primaries.
According to him, the situation in the APC has been different, with the party leadership often determining candidates without conducting primary elections.
Atikase cited his experience during the local government chairmanship race, alleging that Governor Aiyedatiwa and former APC governorship aspirant Gbenga Edema opposed his ambition before Goke Jatuwase eventually emerged as the party’s candidate without a primary election. He said he accepted the outcome without protest or litigation.
He also recalled that although he initially did not support Aiyedatiwa’s governorship aspiration, he later threw his weight behind the governor after receiving what he described as privileged information from Abuja, adding that no governorship primary was eventually conducted before Aiyedatiwa emerged as the party’s candidate.
The NDDC Commissioner further alleged that the governor exercised overwhelming control over the APC structure in Ondo State by determining the composition of the state, local government and ward executives during the party congresses.
He claimed that despite being a federal appointee from Mahin Ward 3 in Ilaje Local Government Area, he was excluded from the process of constituting the ward executive but accepted the decision and worked towards reconciling aggrieved party members.
Atikase also attributed the APC’s poor performance in the recent Ondo South Senatorial District by-election to what he described as political exclusion and discrimination against his supporters, alleging that election logistics were entrusted solely to members of one political group.
Speaking on the recently concluded House of Assembly primary election, he said he was unaware that Segun Iwalokun had been selected as the APC candidate until the official announcement but subsequently mobilised his political structure to support the party’s choice.
He maintained that the National Assembly primary election had now been concluded following what he described as a definitive decision by the APC leadership at the national level, insisting that all party members should respect and abide by the outcome.
According to him, Governor Aiyedatiwa’s loyalty to the APC is now being tested, urging the governor to discourage protests by his appointees against the party’s decision and instead demonstrate commitment to party discipline.
“True political loyalty is measured not only by how one behaves when decisions are favourable, but also by how one responds when they are not,” Atikase stated.
