Former Governor of Ogun State and senator representing Ogun East, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, has declared that he would defeat Governor Dapo Abiodun overwhelmingly in the forthcoming senatorial primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general election.

Daniel, who spoke on Tuesday during an empowerment programme organised by the Bola Ahmed Tinubu–Otunba Gbenga Daniel (BATOGD) Movement in Ijebu-Ode, insisted that he remained the popular choice among party members and residents of the district.

“Without any doubt, in a free and fair primary, I will not just win, I will win overwhelmingly,” Daniel declared.

“Go to town and check with the people. Ask them questions. You’re here; on your way out, go to the people and ask questions about who is on the ground.”

He alleged that some forces within the party were planning to intimidate members and suppress voter participation during the primary election.

“What the governor and others depend on is that they’re going to use violence and scare people from coming out to vote. And that’s why I’m telling our people that they should not be deterred; they should come out and vote,” he said.

The rivalry between Daniel and Abiodun has deepened in recent weeks following a meeting of APC stakeholders in Ogun East, where the governor was reportedly endorsed as the consensus candidate for the district’s senatorial seat.

Daniel was reportedly prevented from entering the venue of the meeting held in Ijebu-Ode.

Speaking after the meeting, Former Ogun East senator, Lekan Mustapha, said party leaders adopted Abiodun because they believed he possessed the capacity to represent the district effectively at the Senate.

“We will put a body together to deliver this message to our governor that he has been adopted as the consensus candidate,” Mustapha had said.

However, Daniel’s political structure, under the BATOGD Movement, rejected the endorsement.

The movement’s Deputy Director-General, Tayo Onayemi, argued that the Electoral Act and APC constitution only recognise consensus backed by a written agreement of all aspirants or direct primaries.

“There is nothing like endorsement in the Electoral Act recently signed into law by the President. What we have is consensus by agreement or direct primaries; anything short of this is null and void,” Onayemi stated.

Both Daniel and Abiodun obtained and submitted APC nomination forms and appeared for the party’s primary.

During Tuesday’s event, which featured free medical tests as well as the distribution of empowerment items to his constituents, Daniel accused the Ogun State Government of frustrating developmental projects he had been facilitating in Ogun East.

“The biggest problem we have in going ahead with that project is my brother and our governor. And I don’t see why this should be like this,” he said.

He further criticised the state government over infrastructure and healthcare challenges in the district.

The former governor questioned why the government had allegedly failed to improve medical staffing and public health facilities.

“Why has the government not been able to get international staff? We’re going to need more doctors and nurses,” he added.

Daniel also cited the large turnout at the BATOGD event as evidence of his grassroots support.

“The notice of this meeting was issued two days ago. The people are here standing; they’re trying to stop it again,” he said.

“So, how do you think the party can make progress if you don’t take into account the position and expressions of the masses of people that you see here?”

(Daily Trust)