Leaders and stakeholders of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun East Senatorial District have endorsed the Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, as the party’s consensus candidate for the 2027 senatorial election, deepening an emerging power struggle within the state chapter of the APC.
The endorsement, announced on Tuesday during a gathering of party leaders and stakeholders in Ogun East, was attended by senior APC figures including the party’s consensus governorship candidate in the state, Olamilekan Adeola, former deputy governors Yetunde Onanuga, Segun Adesegun and Gbenga Kaka, alongside state party executives and zonal leaders.
But the move immediately drew sharp criticism from the senator representing Ogun East and former governor, Gbenga Daniel, who described the endorsement as a politically motivated attempt to impose a candidate through “desperation, inducement and coercion”.
Presenting Abiodun to party stakeholders, former deputy governor Segun Adesegun said APC members across Ogun East had unanimously agreed to adopt the governor as their preferred candidate for the Senate seat.
Lekan Mustapha, chairman of Ogun East Senatorial District, said the decision reflected the collective will of the district and was aimed at ensuring “effective and quality representation” at the National Assembly.
According to party leaders, the endorsement followed an earlier stakeholders’ meeting held on 20 April, during which Abiodun was reportedly adopted as the district’s preferred candidate. Tuesday’s event, they said, was convened to formally communicate the decision to the governor and the state leadership of the APC.
The chairman of APC in Ogun East Zone, Adeleke Ogundoyin, formally presented Abiodun to the Ogun State APC chairman, Yemi Sanusi, urging the state leadership to forward his name to the party’s national secretariat as the district’s consensus candidate.
Responding to the endorsement, Abiodun described the arrangement as evidence of unity and political maturity within the party.
“I am deeply humbled by the overwhelming support,” the governor said, pledging not to betray the confidence reposed in him by party leaders and constituents.
He added that, if elected to represent Ogun East in the Senate, he would pursue “purposeful, people-oriented and quality representation” capable of attracting greater development to the district.
Abiodun also thanked Bola Tinubu for what he described as continued federal support for Ogun State since he assumed office.
The endorsement, however, has intensified tensions within the Ogun APC, with Daniel’s camp insisting that the process violates the spirit of internal democracy.
Reacting on behalf of the former governor, his media aide Steve Oliyide dismissed the endorsement as an orchestrated political exercise driven by fear of an open contest.
“This is the third time I am reading reports of the endorsement of Governor Abiodun for the Ogun East senatorial race,” Oliyide said. “This is no longer endorsement but coercion and desperation.”
He argued that the APC’s consensus provisions required the consent of all aspirants, questioning why the governor appeared reluctant to face a competitive primary.
“The rule on consensus is very clear; there must be the consent of all aspirants. Why is the governor afraid of a fair contest?” he asked.
Daniel later reinforced that position during a midterm assessment tour in Ijebu Ode, where he declared that he remained fully committed to contesting the APC senatorial primary ahead of the 2027 elections.
“I have reached the point of no return in this contest,” the former governor said, urging party members to participate freely in the primary process.
“In a free and fair primary, I will not only win, I will win overwhelmingly,” he added.
The dispute reflects broader tensions within the APC across several states, where consensus arrangements and elite-backed endorsements have increasingly triggered resistance from aspirants who argue that internal democracy is being sacrificed for political convenience.
