The political equation in Ondo South Senatorial District is taking an interesting turn as the 2027 contest gradually gathers momentum. At the centre of the emerging conversation is Hon. Mathew Oye Oyerinmade, popularly known as MATO, whose emergence as the PDP senatorial candidate has added another layer to a political landscape already characterised by shifting alliances, overlapping interests and strategic calculations. What makes the development particularly intriguing is the growing political description of the PDP as an “annex” of the APC—a metaphor reflecting the way some political actors and supporters now perceive the relationship between the two platforms at the broader political level.
The “political annex” argument is rooted in the reality that Nigerian politics now operates beyond the strict boundaries of party labels. Political interests can overlap, alliances can cut across party lines, and individuals may support different candidates at different levels of an election. In Ondo South, this dynamic has become more pronounced with MATO contesting the senatorial election on the PDP platform while maintaining his publicly expressed support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the presidential level. To his supporters, there is no contradiction in the arrangement: the presidential choice and the senatorial choice can be considered separately.
MATO’s political journey also provides context for understanding the new equation. Before his emergence on the PDP platform. His subsequent appearance on the PDP platform has therefore transformed what could have been an internal party story into a wider senatorial contest. The political question is no longer simply about which party produced the candidate, but about how relationships, records, support bases and political interests will shape the contest across the six local government areas of Ondo South.
His supporters continue to draw attention to activities associated with his period in the APC. They cite his reported renovation and equipping of APC secretariats across the six local government areas of Ondo South, alongside support for the party’s state office. They also recall his reported intervention during the fuel scarcity period, when he provided free fuel trucks to support Okada riders across Ondo State. These activities remain part of the narrative his supporters use to explain his political relationships and continued relevance beyond a single party platform.
With MATO now firmly established in the PDP and the 2027 contest moving into a more competitive phase, the “APC political annex” metaphor offers a different lens through which to view the emerging alignment. It suggests a political environment where party boundaries may not fully determine individual loyalties, relationships or voting choices. For MATO’s supporters, the defining question is consequently whether the new platform can provide the vehicle for the kind of representation they seek—a voice that will listen, represent and deliver. In Ondo South, the political game has changed; the platforms are visible, but the alliances and calculations behind them may prove even more consequential.
*MATO Strategic Media Team*
