Loyalists of Sen. Gbenga Daniel have described Gov. Dapo Abiodun's endorsement for Ogun East senatorial seat as a kangaroo arrangement lacking consultation. They claim the process violates party constitution and urge APC's National Working Committee to intervene. The endorsement occurred at a stakeholders' meeting earlier this week.
On Thursday, loyalists of Sen. Gbenga Daniel, under the BATOGD Movement, held a news conference in Sagamu where Deputy Director-General Tayo Onayemi described Gov. Dapo Abiodun's senatorial endorsement as a kangaroo arrangement. They alleged it lacked adequate consultation and due process within the APC structure, insisting the party constitution recognizes only consensus with written consent of all aspirants or direct primaries.
The endorsement was announced on Monday by APC leaders and stakeholders in Ogun East Senatorial District at a meeting held at Adeola Odutola Hall in Ijebu-Ode. Onayemi claimed Sen. Daniel, a former Ogun governor and aspirant, was prevented from entering the venue, excluding key stakeholders.
BATOGD Director-General Olumuyiwa Okunowo also dismissed the meeting's outcome, saying several key figures including Daniel were invited under false pretenses but denied access. The group reaffirmed commitment to party unity and called on the APC National Working Committee to ensure due process.
“There is nothing like endorsement in the Electoral Act recently signed into law by the president," Onayemi said. "What we have is consensus by agreement or direct primaries; anything short of this is null and void. Sen. Gbenga Daniel is a principled party man who will always abide by the rules."
