….As Pro-Abiodun Group Defends Tinubu Over Ogun East Ticket
A fresh political storm has erupted within the Ogun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following the emergence of Governor Dapo Abiodun as the consensus candidate for the Ogun East Senatorial ticket ahead of the 2027 general election.
The latest controversy was triggered by a strongly worded statement issued by Dr. Arabambi Abayomi, Convener of the Sustainability of Ogun State & Dapo Abiodun Legacy Beyond 2027, in which he defended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Dapo Abiodun against allegations of “rewarding rebellion” within the party.
Abayomi’s statement was a direct response to an opinion article authored by Alex Olutunbosun titled “Tinubu, Abiodun and the Cost of Rewarding Rebellion,” which criticised President Tinubu for allegedly recognising Governor Abiodun despite claims of lukewarm support for Tinubu’s presidential ambition during the APC primaries.
In the lengthy rebuttal, Abayomi accused the writer of distorting facts and unfairly portraying former Ogun State Governor and Senator representing Ogun East, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, as a victim of political persecution.
According to him, Daniel voluntarily withdrew from the Ogun East senatorial primary after allegedly realising he lacked the political strength to defeat Governor Abiodun for the ticket.
He argued that the APC leadership in Ogun State had openly adopted Abiodun as its consensus candidate after consultations among stakeholders in Ogun East Senatorial District.
Abayomi maintained that the endorsement process followed established party traditions and insisted that Daniel had no moral right to challenge consensus arrangements after previously benefitting from the same process during the 2023 elections.
He recalled that in 2023, the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, reportedly intervened to persuade Senator Lekan Mustapha to step down for Daniel, thereby enabling the former governor to secure the senatorial ticket through consensus.
The APC chieftain described Daniel’s current opposition to consensus as “hypocritical” and driven by personal ambition rather than democratic principles.
He further alleged that Daniel engaged in anti-party activities during the 2023 governorship election by working against Governor Abiodun’s re-election bid and supporting the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Ladi Adebutu.
Abayomi also referenced the indefinite suspension slammed on Daniel by the Ogun APC in August 2025 over alleged anti-party activities, noting that the senator reportedly failed to appear before the party’s disciplinary committee despite repeated invitations.
According to him, some loyalists of the senator allegedly intimidated party members expected to testify before the disciplinary panel.
The statement further alleged that Daniel initially opposed the emergence of Senator Godswill Akpabio as Senate President in 2023 and was allegedly involved in political dealings contrary to the APC’s official position before eventually supporting Akpabio.
Abayomi dismissed comparisons between Governor Abiodun and former Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi, or former Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola, insisting that Abiodun remained loyal to President Tinubu throughout the APC presidential primary process.
He claimed that Governor Abiodun had actively persuaded former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to step down for Tinubu during the APC presidential convention.
The pro-Abiodun group also accused Daniel’s camp of attempting to destabilise the Ogun APC by rejecting the party’s decision after failing to secure the ticket.
Abayomi said the party had moved on from internal disputes and urged Daniel to publicly direct his supporters to work for President Tinubu and Governor Abiodun ahead of the 2027 elections.
He stressed that the APC was bigger than any individual and warned against what he described as the politics of personal entitlement.
The statement equally praised Governor Abiodun’s administration, citing infrastructural development, healthcare improvements and investment-friendly policies as evidence that the governor deserved the confidence reposed in him by party stakeholders.
Abayomi argued that President Tinubu’s support for Abiodun was based on performance, loyalty and party discipline rather than political favouritism.
He also accused critics of attempting to undermine the President’s judgment by portraying the Ogun political situation as a case of “rewarding rebellion.”
The latest exchange has further exposed deepening divisions within the Ogun APC ahead of the 2027 elections, with observers warning that unresolved internal grievances could widen existing cracks within the ruling party in the state.
