Gbenga Daniel’s Loyalists Dismiss Governor Abiodun’s Senate Endorsement as ‘Dead on Arrival’; Vow to Resist Any ‘Coup’ Against the Sitting Senator

The political atmosphere in Ogun East has grown increasingly volatile as the “OGD Political Family,” loyal to Senator Gbenga Daniel, formally dissociated itself from the recent endorsement of Governor Dapo Abiodun for the 2027 Senate race. In a strongly worded statement released today Thursday, April 23, 2026, the group labeled the endorsement a “charade” and an attempt to hijack the democratic process through a “political coup.”

The move follows a controversial meeting on Monday in Ijebu-Ode, where a faction of APC stakeholders, led by former Senator Lekan Mustapha, declared Governor Abiodun the consensus pick for the district. However, Daniel’s loyalists argue that the meeting lacked the necessary party legitimacy, noting that it excluded the district’s sitting Senator and several other key party organs. “You cannot hold a burial ceremony while the person is still alive,” said a prominent youth leader within the OGD camp, referencing the attempt to vacate Daniel’s seat while he is still in office.

Speaking for the loyalists, Mr. Bolaji Adeniji maintained that the APC is a party of rules and that “consensus” cannot be reached through the exclusion of rivals. He criticized the use of security personnel to bar Senator Daniel from the earlier caucus meeting, describing it as an act of intimidation that has no place in a democratic setting. According to the group, the endorsement is merely a “wish list” of the Governor’s appointees and does not reflect the will of the grassroots voters in Ogun East.

The deepening friction between the Governor and the former Governor-turned-Senator has created a significant fracture in the state’s ruling party. While the Abiodun camp insists the endorsement was “unanimous” and intended to bring more “dividends of democracy” to the region, Daniel’s supporters have warned that such high-handedness will only weaken the APC’s chances in the general elections.

As the 2027 election cycle approaches, the “script” for Ogun East has become a direct battle of wills. With the loyalists vowing to uphold the mandate of the sitting Senator, the Ogun APC is now facing a high-stakes internal crisis that could require the intervention of the national leadership in Abuja to prevent a total collapse of party cohesion in the state.