The lawmaker representing Ogun East Senatorial District, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, on Tuesday alleged that his purported suspension from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State was driven by Governor Dapo Abiodun’s ambition to secure the party’s senatorial ticket in 2027.
Daniel claimed that the governor’s political ambition is also behind the persecution he has faced under Abiodun’s administration over the past two years.
Speaking at his Asoludero Court residence in the Government Reservation Area (GRA), Sagamu, the former governor addressed journalists on what he described as efforts to sideline him within the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The briefing, delivered on Daniel’s behalf by his aide, Mr. Steve Oliyide, was attended by party loyalists and stakeholders from the nine local government areas of Ogun East, including former Special Duties Commissioner Akogun Kola Onadipe and former Deputy Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Remmy Hassan.
Also present was Daniel’s counsel, Prof. Yemi Oke (SAN).
Daniel lamented that despite his efforts that helped Dapo Abiodun actualise his governorship ambition in 2019, the governor, he alleged, had continued to undermine his Senatorial ambition since 2022.
He wondered why his so called suspension was not announced by the appropriate organ and structure of the party, declaring such accounted for why such announcements were not given any seriousness as there was no official communication about any offence, no allegation levied, no invitation to attend any Investigative Panel or letter of suspension sent to him.
According to him, it has been established that one of Governor Dapo Abiodun’s media aides is behind the sharing of an unsigned press statement bearing his purported suspension from the party.
He said: “We have no doubt, and let no one be deceived, that this is all connected to the Politics of 2027 and especially the APC ticket for the Ogun East Senatorial District.
“It must be emphasised that after the long and tortuous journey to secure the ticket of the APC in 2022, Otunba Gbenga Daniel picked the 2nd of October to flag off his campaign at Ita Oba in Sagamu and as a responsible party man, dutifully invited the governor as the Special Guest of Honour to declare the campaign open but the governor did not attend, neither was he represented. Instead, he passed an instruction around to discourage party members from attending. Those who disregarded such directives were also sanctioned. Some public servants who ignored the order not to attend were also served with query letters.
“When the Senate was to be convened for the first time on the 13th of June, 2023, OGD chartered aircraft to convey stakeholders in Ogun East Senatorial District to Abuja for the inauguration, curiously our Governor once again using the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Tokunbo Talabi started calling several leaders who were already on the manifest, some of whom have also boarded, including traditional rulers to disembark from that journey and most with a tone of threat.”
He said the party belongs to everybody, vowing to remain in APC and mobilise his teaming supporters to work the 2027 reelection of President Bola Tinubu.