Political Shake-Up: Eight Parties Set To Merge With APC, PDP For Ondo Election

Sources revealed to Punch on Monday that these smaller parties have reached agreements over the weekend to back the two major parties.

Under the terms of the alignment, leaders of the smaller parties will direct their supporters to vote for either the APC or PDP candidate.

Formal announcements are expected within the next 72 hours, with party leaders already mobilizing their supporters ahead of Election Day.

An insider shared, “Around eight smaller parties are looking to join forces with the larger parties. These alliances aim to benefit from the merger.”

The source also mentioned that certain party candidates may soon step down in favor of either APC’s Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa or PDP’s Agboola Ajayi. Talks regarding this agreement were reportedly finalized over the weekend.

A source within the APC confirmed that five governorship candidates are set to abandon their original parties and align with the APC.

“These candidates want to merge their campaign structures with Aiyedatiwa’s team, and we’re pleased with this development as politics is all about numbers,” the APC source stated.

The APC’s Media Director, Mr. Steve Otaloro, also confirmed that these defectors will be unveiled at a mega rally on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, a PDP official, speaking on condition of anonymity, criticized the smaller parties, suggesting their moves were driven by financial gain rather than genuine political alignment.

“We’re still negotiating with them. It’s all about the highest bidder—whether APC or PDP,” the PDP source noted.

The Publicity Secretary of the Ondo PDP, Mr. Kennedy Peretei, acknowledged the ongoing discussions but refrained from confirming a specific date for the merger announcement.

The forthcoming Ondo governorship election will see participation from no fewer than 17 political parties, including the APC, PDP, and several smaller parties such as the Accord Party, Action Alliance, and Labour Party, among others.