Why There Is Growing Division Among Leaders Over Gbenga Daniel & Dapo Abiodun Feud

It is no longer news that Senator Gbenga Daniel and Governor Dapo Abiodun are embroiled in a political feud.

It is also the talk of the town that while Gbenga Daniel, a former two-term governor of Ogun State, wants to retain the Ogun East senatorial seat in the next political dispensation, the incumbent governor is eyeing the position after completing his second term in 2027.

It is no secret that Senator Daniel’s allies have already launched a campaign, urging stakeholders to take an early stand ahead of the 2027 election and support him.

However, information reveals that stakeholders, especially leaders within their federal constituency, are divided over whom to support between the two chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress.

Sources say the main factor fueling this division is Senator Daniel’s trump card—his push for the creation of Ijebu State.

“Among the leaders, there are those who believe OGD (Otunba Gbenga Daniel) should be backed to continue his stay in the Senate to sustain the bid for Ijebu State and other associated benefits. On the other hand, there are those supporting D.A. (Dapo Abiodun) as part of efforts to maximize his position as governor until the very end for the federal constituency. So, there is a division being driven by sub-ethnic ties and political loyalties because the decision on who becomes senator goes beyond a single party,” insiders say.

The agitation for Ijebu State has been a burning desire and a long-standing demand of the people of Ogun East.

Senator Gbenga Daniel is spearheading concrete steps to achieve this by sponsoring a bill for the creation of Ijebu State, which has already passed its first reading in the Senate. He is also mobilizing widespread support across the region to advance the objective.