Gbenga Daniel’s loyalists reject Abiodun as Ogun East APC senate consensus candidate

A significant political rift has emerged within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State, as loyalists of Senator Gbenga Daniel have vehemently rejected the purported endorsement of Governor Dapo Abiodun as the consensus candidate for the Ogun East Senate seat in 2027. The group, operating under the banner of the BATOGD Movement, has characterized the endorsement as a "carefully orchestrated exclusion" designed to sideline Senator Daniel and his supporters.

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this is a DA show and could be attended only by loyalists of the governor.

According to the movement's spokesperson, retired General Olumuyiwa Okunowo, the "Ogun East APC caucus meeting" where Abiodun was announced as the consensus candidate was, in reality, a gathering exclusively for the governor's loyalists. Okunowo alleged that qualified members who attempted to attend the event at Adeola Odutola Hall in Ijebu Ode were explicitly turned away, with the explanation that it was a "DA show" – a clear indication of its partisan nature.

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We do not deny them their right to hold their own show, and we believe this must account for why our leader, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, was denied access to a ‘DA Show.’ No ill feeling, but they should have been bold enough to make the notifications clear about their true intention, rather than using the name of our great party to drag our leaders into ratifying a premeditated show.

Adding to the political tension, the BATOGD Movement has also raised alarm over what they describe as a "security siege" on Senator Daniel's residence in Ijebu Ode. The deployment of armored vehicles and hundreds of police officers, they argue, is unwarranted and appears to be an attempt at political intimidation. The group has called upon security agencies to maintain neutrality and uphold democratic principles by refraining from being used as instruments of political harassment, emphasizing their commitment to being law-abiding citizens within Nigeria's democratic framework.

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We are deeply surprised by this turn of events, as we see no reason to warrant the deployment of armoured vehicles and detachments of security forces in their hundreds.