Ogun East APC Stakeholders Reject Abiodun’s Consensus Senate Bid

The Stakeholders and Leaders Forum of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun East senatorial district on Thursday, rejected the emergence of Governor Dapo Abiodun, as the consensus senatorial candidate of the party for the year 2027 general elections.

The APC stakeholders, who converged under the banner of Bola Ahmed Tinubu/Otunbba Gbenga Daniel (BATOGD) grassroots presidential campaign Movement, distanced themselves from the party’s caucus meeting held last Monday, where Abiodun was declared as the concensus candidate on the ground d that they were excluded from participating in exercise.

The BAT/OGD Movement made their position known while addressing a press conference yesterday in Sagamu township of Sagamu Local Government Area, describing the exercise as “a ceremonial endorsement of a DA show.”

Addressing journalists on Thursday, chairman of the Forum, Gen. Olumuyiwa Okunowo (rtd.) alleged that over 75 percent of people in attendance at the APC caucus meeting where Abiodun was adopted as the consensus candidate were members of his cabinet, who lacked the constitutional backing to attend the event.

Okunowo further stated that APC members, who were constitutionally empowered to attend meeting were conspicuously harassed with security operatives to leave the venue of the meeting, while others were gated out and barred from gaining entry into the Adeola Odutola Hall in Ijebu-Ode where the meeting held.

Describing Abiodun’s emergence as “a kangaroo endorsement, an eyesore and a rape on democracy,” the SPC Stakeholders’ Forum declared that most of the leaders. including Otunba Gbenga Daniel, who turned up for the meeting were only baited to attend, “while more than half of the people in the hall were not even qualified to attend a Senatorial Caucus meeting.

“Using the name of the Party to bait attendance at such events is what gives us concern. Most of the leaders, including our leader, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, were baited into attending the event under the guise of a Caucus Meeting of Stakeholders of the Ogun East Senatorial District. It was only upon arrival that many discovered that more than half of the people in the hall were not even qualified to attend a Senatorial Caucus meeting.

“Some of our members who were eminently qualified to attend according to the Notice of Invitation were told pointedly to leave the venue, with the explanation that “this is a DA show” and could be attended only by loyalists of the Governor. 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.”

The Forum also condemned the Wednesday’s deployment of security operatives to disrupt the 8-months old mid-term assessment and stewardship programme of Senator Daniel under the BATOGD Movement which has been featuring community empowerment, describing it as troubling political developments in the state.

Describing it as a “siege” on the Ijebu-Ode residence of former Governor Daniel, by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, the Forum maintained that the event was a reminiscent of the days of military junta, wondering why such should happen “in the present day Ogun State”.

The Forum however, commended the Inspector General of Police for intervening and restoring calm, while also assuring citizens of continued peaceful engagement.

“We thank the Inspector General of Police for his prompt response in calling the situation to order,” the statement read.

Reaffirming commitment to democratic values, the group stressed that Nigeria must not allow security agencies to be used for political intimidation.

“We are law-abiding citizens… and we call on all security agencies to be fair and not allow themselves to be used as tools in desperate hands.”