A simmering power struggle within the Ogun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) came to the fore on Monday as former governor and serving senator, Gbenga Daniel, was denied entry into a crucial Ogun East caucus meeting in Ijebu-Ode.
The meeting, held at Adeola Odutola College, was convened to deliberate on key party matters, including permutations ahead of the 2027 senatorial election. However, the gathering was overshadowed by drama after security operatives and party officials reportedly barred Daniel from accessing the venue.
Eyewitness accounts and viral video clips showed the senator’s convoy being stopped at the entrance gate, sparking heated exchanges between his aides and those manning the facility.
Supporters at the scene chanted “OGD! OGD!” in solidarity, while efforts to gain him entry proved abortive.
Addressing his supporters, Daniel expressed displeasure over the incident, insisting that any decision taken in his absence would lack legitimacy.
“I arrived here at 10:00 a.m., but they said I could not enter. If they do anything here today and I am not allowed to participate, whatever they do will be null and void,” he said.
Daniel, who currently represents Ogun East in the Senate, is seeking re-election, a move that has placed him on a collision course with Governor Dapo Abiodun, who is widely believed to be positioning for the same senatorial seat after completing his tenure.
Party insiders say the rivalry between the two political heavyweights has deepened divisions within the Ogun APC, with Monday’s incident highlighting growing cracks in the Ogun East bloc. The absence of the sitting senator from such a strategic meeting has also raised concerns about the legitimacy of decisions reached at the gathering.
Some insiders also noted that OGD was never barref from meeting but was only told that the crowd who are his entourage cannot be allowed into the hall.
In a significant development at the same meeting, leaders and stakeholders of the APC in Ogun East unanimously endorsed Governor Abiodun as their consensus candidate for the 2027 senatorial election.
The endorsement, announced before a large assembly of party leaders and grassroots representatives, drew participants from across the district, including members of the Governor’s Advisory Council, lawmakers, local government officials, councillors, and youth and women leaders.
Speaking on behalf of the stakeholders, former senator Lekan Mustapha said the decision was based on a shared conviction in Abiodun’s capacity to effectively represent Ogun East at the National Assembly. He disclosed that arrangements were underway to formally communicate the endorsement to the governor, including plans to procure his nomination forms.
Also lending his voice, Secretary to the State Government, Tokunbo Talabi, described the endorsement as “historic and unanimous,” citing the governor’s track record in governance and party cohesion.
Similarly, a member of the House of Representatives, Femi Ogunbanwo, said Abiodun’s leadership had fostered development and stability, expressing confidence in his ability to attract greater dividends to the district at the national level.
The event witnessed the presence of prominent APC figures, including former senators Gbenga Kaka and Lekan Mustapha, as well as party elders and political mobilisers from across the nine local governments in Ogun East.
Despite the high-profile endorsement, the exclusion of Senator Daniel has cast a shadow over the process, further fuelling speculation of an intensifying political battle that could reshape the APC’s internal dynamics in Ogun State ahead of the 2027 elections.
As of press time, the Ogun State APC leadership had yet to issue an official statement addressing the circumstances surrounding Daniel’s exclusion.
