He wrote: “So when I saw the statement credited to an NDDC Commissioner Representing Ondo State Hon Otito Atikase that ‘Aiyedatiwa Must Bow to Party Supremacy’, I was forced to ask: is this how we now talk to elected leaders in Ondo State? The answer is no.”
Lepe stressed that Governor Aiyedatiwa is not just the APC leader in Ondo State but “the Governor elected by the people of Ondo,” adding that “whatever internal party disagreements exist, the office he occupies deserves respect.”
Lepe illustrated: “Even in a family setting, you don’t tell your son or daughter ‘you MUST BOW’ to me if you want them to listen to you. You dialogue. You persuade. You lead by example. So how much more a Governor who was elected to serve 3 million Ondo people? A Governor who carries the burden of security, salaries, roads, and development?”
He questioned: “If party supremacy means elected leaders should be spoken to like errand boys, then we need to redefine what party supremacy means.”
Lepe noted that “Nobody is against party supremacy. The APC is a party of rules and structures. But party supremacy cannot mean disrespect for constitutional offices.”
He argued that reducing the Governor to someone who “must bow” in public statements does two things:
1. “It weakens the party – Because voters don’t like to see their Governor disrespected. It sends a signal that the party eats its own.”
2. “It distracts governance – Instead of talking about projects and 2027 strategy, we are busy fighting over ego and language.”
Lepe added: “Leaders should be corrected in private and defended in public. That is how strong parties survive. The NDDC Commissioner and all party stakeholders have a right to their opinion. But they also have a duty to choose words that build, not words that tear down.”
He warned: “Ondo people expect APC leaders to be united, especially as we approach 2027. We cannot afford to look like a house divided over grammar and ego.”
Lepe concluded: “Governor Aiyedatiwa deserves the same respect we would give to any occupant of that office, whether we agree with him on everything or not. Party supremacy is about cohesion and strategy, not insults. Let’s debate policies. Let’s disagree on direction. But let’s drop the ‘must bow’ language. It is beneath the dignity of the office, and beneath the standard of APC leaders.”
About the Author
