Senate War Looms As Daniel Confronts Abiodun

In a dramatic twist that has thrown Ogun State’s APC into fresh political turmoil, former Governor and current Senator Otunba Gbenga Daniel has openly defied his party’s consensus arrangement by picking up the nomination and expression of interest forms to represent Ogun East in the Senate.

The bold move directly challenges outgoing governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, who was formally adopted as the party’s preferred senatorial candidate for the zone days earlier.

Senator Daniel, who is currently representing Ogun East in the Senate, announced his decision on Tuesday via his official social media handles. In a statement accompanied by pictures, he declared:

“Today, I picked up my nomination and expression of interest forms as I seek to return to the Nigerian Senate, continuing my efforts to provide effective and responsive representation for the people of Ogun East Senatorial District under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.”

The development came barely 24 hours after Governor Abiodun posted on his verified X handle (@DapoAbiodunCON), confirming that Ogun East APC stakeholders had adopted him as the consensus candidate. The governor’s post read:

“We attended the Ogun East APC Stakeholders’ Meeting yesterday where leaders of the zone formally adopted me as the All Progressives Congress (@OfficialAPCNg) consensus senatorial candidate for Ogun East.”

Abiodun accompanied the message with four photographs from the high-profile meeting and followed up with appreciation posts, stating the zone would unite to deliver Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (YAYI) as the next governor while rallying massive support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Recall that party leaders had held a caucus meeting in Ijebu-Ode where Abiodun was endorsed as the consensus choice. Reports emerged that Senator Daniel was allegedly denied access to the venue, fuelling claims of exclusion.

Despite this, Daniel, a two-term former governor and political heavyweight, went ahead and purchased the forms, signalling he is ready for a direct contest.

Adding to the tension, Governor Abiodun used the stakeholders’ meeting to reiterate his determination to contest for the Ogun East Senate seat after completing his tenure as governor.

The APC in Ogun State, however, is downplaying the brewing crisis. State Publicity Secretary Olufemi Nuberu, while speaking on a live current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM in Ilese-Ijebu on Tuesday, dismissed rumours of a rift.

Nuberu insisted the party remains “one indivisible entity” and that all internal disagreements would be resolved amicably. He described claims of Daniel’s exclusion from the caucus meeting as exaggerated, noting that no formal complaint was lodged with the party.

“Party decisions are based on verified information, not speculation or viral narratives,” Nuberu emphasised, especially in an age where digital content can be easily manipulated.

Yet the optics are clear: a sitting senator and former governor versus a sitting governor eyeing the same seat. The face-off has already been dubbed “Daniel vs Abiodun” by political observers, with many predicting a fierce primary battle that could test the unity of the APC in Ogun East.

As the 2027 race heats up, all eyes are now on how the national leadership of the party and President Tinubu’s camp will navigate this high-stakes showdown between two of the state’s most influential political figures. The people of Ogun East are watching closely.