Supporters of the former Governor of Ogun State and current Senator for Ogun East, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, have issued a direct challenge to Governor Dapo Abiodun. They have dared the governor to face them in an All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election to determine who contests the Ogun East senatorial seat in 2027. The political faction also decried the endorsement of Governor Abiodun by certain APC leaders in Ogun East on Monday, labelling it a "kangaroo" move and a "rape of democracy."
The political landscape in Ogun East has been marked by a noticeable rift and intense rivalry between Daniel and Abiodun, particularly concerning the 2027 senatorial ticket. Daniel is aiming to secure the party's nomination for a second term in the Senate, while Governor Abiodun, whose gubernatorial term concludes in 2027, is also reportedly interested in the same senatorial position.
This divergence in political ambitions has reportedly strained the relationship between the two former allies. Daniel has previously accused the governor's political aspirations of being the driving force behind alleged persecution he has endured under Abiodun's administration over the last two years. The state government has, however, refuted these claims.
The political contest took a new turn on Monday when Senator Daniel was allegedly prevented from entering the venue of an APC caucus meeting for the Ogun East senatorial district. The meeting took place at the Adeola Odutola Hall in Ijebu-Ode.
Video clips circulating on social media appeared to show Senator Daniel's convoy being denied access to the meeting location. Following the incident, Senator Daniel addressed his supporters and subsequently departed the venue.
"We are here for our caucus meeting, and I got here by 10 a.m. They said we should not enter the venue in Ijebu-Ode," Daniel was quoted as saying. "Therefore, if they do anything here today without my presence, it is an exercise in futility. So, their actions will amount to self-deceit."
Following the meeting, Governor Abiodun was reportedly adopted as the consensus candidate for the senatorial seat. Speaking on behalf of the party stakeholders, former Ogun East Senator Lekan Mustapha stated that the decision was based on a collective belief in Abiodun's suitability to effectively represent the district in the Senate.
Mustapha indicated that party leaders would formally convey this endorsement to the governor and commit to purchasing his nomination forms for the 2027 election. "We will put a body together to deliver this message to our Governor that he has been adopted as the consensus candidate," he added.
However, the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Otunba Gbenga Daniel (BATOGD) Movement, a political faction supporting Daniel, dismissed the endorsement during a press conference held on Thursday in Sagamu. The Deputy Director-General of BATOGD, Otunba Tayo Onayemi, asserted that the APC constitution outlines specific procedures for candidate selection, including consensus agreements supported by written consent from all aspirants or direct primaries.
Onayemi argued that any endorsement made outside these established provisions is invalid and unacceptable. "There is nothing like endorsement in the Electoral Act recently signed into law by the President. What we have is consensus by agreement or direct primaries; anything short of this is null and void."
He further stated, "As far as Sen. Gbenga Daniel is concerned, he is a principled party man who will always abide by the rules and ethics of the party. We are confident that the APC, as a disciplined party, will uphold its rules and ensure justice is done."
Akogun Kola Onadipe, another member of Daniel's camp, urged Governor Abiodun to participate in the APC primary to demonstrate his popularity. "Now, it’s beginning to dawn, even on the national leadership of the party, that why should there be this desperation? If somebody is popular, you are popular… If you want to test your popularity, why don’t you go to the primary?"
Onadipe questioned the validity of a consensus choice when other candidates are purportedly being excluded from the party's constitutional processes. "So, if you do your own consensus, and your consensus says they have appointed you, why are you stopping others in terms of the constitutional provision of the party position that is important? So, that is the point. A necessary petition will go to the right place."
Earlier in the week, the Director-General of BATOGD, General Olumuyiwa Okunowo (rtd), condemned the alleged police action at Senator Daniel's residence in Ijebu-Ode on Wednesday, describing it as a "siege." He expressed surprise at the deployment of "armoured vehicles and detachments of security forces in their hundreds" to the area.
Okunowo stated, "We are deeply surprised by this turn of events, as we see no reason to warrant such heavy deployment." He suggested that the action stemmed from misinformation, claiming the Chairman of Ijebu-Ode Local Government had misled security agencies into believing a political meeting was scheduled at the residence. "Our preliminary investigations revealed that false narratives were presented to the police, leading to the cordoning off of the entire street," he alleged. "This reminds us of the unfortunate days of the military junta… We do not think this can happen in Ogun State."
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