Ogun APC Disowns Purported ‘Leaders’ In Ogun East, Says they’re Coordinators Of Daniel’s NGO

By Ayobami Ife, Abeokuta

Ogun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress(APC) has disowned the purported ‘APC leaders’ in Ogun East, who addressed a press conference recently at the Aseludero Court private residence of Senator Gbenga Daniel, describing them as “fake” and “unknown” to the party,

The Daily Crucible reports that the ‘APC leaders in Ogun East’ had while addressing a world press conference claimed among other things that Governor Dapo Abiodun’s quest for the Ogun East Senate ticket of the party was the reason for the purported suspension of Senator Daniel and the relentless prosecution on the watch of the Governor.

The East ‘APC leaders’ also claimed that the Ogun APC was merely “living on the personality and emotion of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu” following the alleged hijacking of the party by Governor Abiodun and the subsequent sidelining of former governor Ibikunle Amosun, Gbenga Daniel and other leaders from the party.

They denounced the Dapo Abiodun – led spirited efforts to drive Daniel and his teeming supporters out of the party, ostensibly to scuttle his 2027 Senatorial re-election ambition, vowing that the Governor would fail once again as was the case in 2022.

The stakeholders also vehemently defended Senator Daniel, declaring that his purported suspension by the party was a rumour, void and of no effect.

The stakeholders, who were representatives of the party in the 103 wards of the nine local governments of the senatorial district, challenged the leadership of the APC in Ward 4 and the state to produce evidence pertaining to the purported suspension, noting that there was none because no investigation, process and the letter of suspension were served on the ex – Governor about their decisions.

Daniel’s aide, Mr. Steve Oniyide, who read a prepared speech endorsed by Gen. Olumuyiwa Okunowo (rtd), Akogun Kola Onadipe, Comrade Niyi Osoba, Otunba (Dr.) Korede Okusanya, and Princess Ronke Oduneye among others, said it was surprising to read on social media a news quoting the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Dapo Abiodun, disclosing that APC Ward 4, Sagamu Local Government, had ratified suspension of the Ogun East senator over alleged anti-party activities during the last House of Representatives bye – election for Remo Federal Constituency which was won by Hon Adesola Elegbeji.

Oniyide defended Daniel and dismissed the process leading to the purported suspension as faulty and incongruous with the party’s guiding rules.

Oniyide noted that it was shocking that the ward where Daniel registered is different from the one that suspended him, wondering why such an anomaly should stand.

He recalled that Daniel played significant roles for the success of APC candidate in the bye – election through financial donation for her and the Campaign Committee, even directing his supporters to work for her success.

Oliyide said: “Is it ethical and logical to announce a suspension order on an individual’s Facebook page? There was no official communication, no allegation, no panel invitation, and no letter of suspension.

“On November 5, 2025, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Governor Dapo Abiodun circulated an unsigned press statement to the media, reiterating the same suspension claim and “issuing directives to the national leadership of the party on who to recognize in Ogun APC.

“Is it appropriate for an appointee of the government — and an interested party — to speak for APC when the party has elected officers including a chairman and a secretary?”

However, reacting to the development through a statement by Nuberu Adesanya Olufemi, Ogun APC Director of Publicity, the dismissed the purported leaders as fake, unknown and coordinators of Daniel’s Gateway Front Foundation(GFF).

According to the statement, the said stakeholders or APC leaders are not members of the state chapter of the party.

The party described Daniel as one who always found it difficult to follow the rules, and desperately striving to blame Governor Abiodun for his waning political fortune.

The statement reads, “Senator Gbenga Daniel has always had difficulty subjecting himself to the laid-down rules. He cannot be greater than the party that gave him a platform to contest election. As a political party, APC has rules. He was given ample opportunity to defend himself over the allegations levelled against him but he chose not to. He was credibly accused of working against the party. He connived with the opposition to undermine his party; the evidence was corroborated by his media aide who said he did not work for Governor Abiodun. The audacity is staggering. Daniel also campaigned against APC during the last by-election in Remo Federal Constituency.

“Daniel consistently ignored summons. The state chairman wrote to the NWC informing it of its decision. For Daniel to now gather impostors and parade them as APC leaders is most unfortunate. It is profoundly sad and unfortunate that he can stoop so low as to allege that Governor Abiodun is against him because of the 2027polls. Due process was followed in his suspension. The state Chairman and state party secretary duly endorsed the letter to the national secretariat. The complaints from the local government were endorsed and signed by the Local Government Party Chairman, the Party Secretary, and other party organs. The senator was found culpable for working against the party by his own ward, and it was stated in writing and signed by his ward chairman, party secretary, and others from his ward.

“The list of people his team is calling “APC Leaders” in Ogun East is fake. These individuals are actually Coordinators for his Gateway Foundation in their areas. They are people that had worked with him in PDP. Not a single Ward Chairman or Local Government Chairman is on that fake list. Why not list Ogun APC’s actual, elected party officials? How can Gbenga Daniel’s Gateway Foundation coordinators be paraded as Ogun APC leaders?

“Let’s be clear about this suspension of OGD. This is an internal party matter, pure and simple. Our State Working Committee looked at the reports—reports that clearly indicted Otunba Justus Olugbenga Daniel for anti-party activities—and they ratified them. Now, just because some people don’t like the decision, they’re turning around and calling the same SWC members “compromised.” Hilarious!

“Pray, when this very same State Working Committee that he now say are “compromised” ratified his candidacy for the Senate, did he complain then? The real question people should be asking is this: by our party’s own constitution, did the SWC members have the power to do what they did, or not? That’s the core of this whole issue. We’re talking about leaders of Chief Yemi Sanusi’s caliber, a man who has served at the National Executive Council level of a major party. And our State Legal Adviser, a seasoned barrister. These are credible people. For the Gateway Foundation Coordinators to so casually throw caution to the wind and label them “compromised” is just unfortunate.

“Anyway, the party’s decision on this matter stands. The window to appeal, as clearly laid out in our constitution, has lapsed. If the Daniel wailers want to wail, that’s their right; we can’t take that away from them. They can sustain their appeal on social media.

“Still on his so-called “APC Leaders,” how many have even bothered to attend a simple APC meeting in their respective wards? And since he became a Senator, when has he ever come back to his party constituency for a feedback session, to actually sit down and ask the people what they want? It really makes you think.”