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The Ondo Elite Group has sounded a warning against potential efforts to meddle with the political framework in Ondo State, cautioning that this could have severe repercussions for the party leading up to the November 16 governorship election.

The socio-political group has revealed that there is a growing unease within the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, owing to an alleged scheme by certain factions to dislodge and supplant the current party leadership in the state to sway the upcoming poll in favor of their preferred candidate.

Expressing apprehension over this development, the group, in a statement endorsed by its General Secretary, Yemi Oladiran, has called on the newly appointed governor of the state, Lucky Ayedatiwa, to give top priority to unity and inclusiveness among party stakeholders.

Warning against any form of interference in the party’s internal affairs, the group emphasized that those plotting to dismantle the APC executive lack the authority to carry out such a move. According to Oladiran, such actions would not only sow discord within the party but also undermine its prospects of success in the forthcoming governorship election.

The group underscored that it is crucial to avoid a recurrence of the setbacks suffered by the party in Zamfara during the last general election in Ondo State.

Additionally, the group cautioned against fabricating a crisis where none exists, urging the state governor to consolidate the party’s unity to prevent losing the state to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the polls.

The statement reads: “Dissolving the state executive of the party will flout the agreement Governor Lucky Ayedatiwa reached with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the upheaval that engulfed the state due to the friction between late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and Ayedatiwa.

“What we are guarding against is a repeat of what occurred in Zamfara, and we cannot allow this to happen in Ondo State because we adhere to the rules and are guided by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“No one can derail a progressing train that is advancing at a developmental speed, like the one we are experiencing in Ondo. The rapport between the executive members of the Ondo APC and the government is harmonious, and we should approach this election as a united family.

“We’re proud of the leadership of the state chairman, Ade Adetimehin. He has been able to stabilize the party since assuming the chairmanship of the party.”

The Ondo Elite Group’s cautionary stance underscores the high-stakes nature of the upcoming election and the potential implications of internal upheaval within the APC, spotlighting the need for unity and stability within the party as it prepares for the crucial electoral contest.