Laughter can be political evidence. On Monday in Akure, it did quite work. Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa leaned in; Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo smiled back. Because no handlers hovered, and cameras caught their ease. For Ondo watchers, that moment mattered.
The setting was the Ondo State 50th anniversary grand finale held on February 3, 2026, at the Akure Township Stadium. Tunji-Ojo attended as President Bola Tinubu’s official representative, while Aiyedatiwa hosted, all protocol duly observed.
For months, a different story circulated. Late 2024 into 2025 produced claims of a rift, framed as a rivalry for control of the APC structure in Ondo. The language grew portentous online, then portable, repeated as received wisdom.