Senator Gbenga Daniel Gives Only Condition On Which He Would Give Up Senate Seat To Gov Dapo Abiodun
Senator Gbenga Daniel has stated he will defer to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu regarding his bid to return to the Senate.
Speaking on national television, Daniel, who represents Ogun East, acknowledged his ongoing friction with Governor Dapo Abiodun over the party ticket but insisted he would not oppose the President’s wishes.
Daniel criticised recent “endorsements” of Abiodun as the consensus candidate, describing them as coerced. “There was no consensus. Consensus means all parties agree.
“What we see are endorsements by government agents,” Daniel said.
While he called for a free and fair primary, he affirmed: “If the President asks me to step down for Abiodun, I will. He is the leader of the party.”
Separately, at 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.
