Adeleke’s Victory: APC Told To Reconsider Abiodun’s Candidacy For Ogun East Senate Seat

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has been urged to reconsider the candidacy of Governor Dapo Abiodun for the Ogun East Senatorial District ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the outcome of the recent Osun State governorship election cited as a warning against relying solely on party structure and political endorsements.

The call was contained in a political intervention on the 2027 elections, which urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC leadership to objectively assess the electoral strength and acceptability of candidates seeking to represent the party.

According to the intervention written by ‘Pen Pecker’ and shared on a pro-Gbenga Daniel social media page, the APC must learn from the political developments in Osun State, where Governor Ademola Adeleke secured re-election, stressing that personal popularity and connection with voters could determine electoral outcomes regardless of the strength of a political platform.

It argued that “a popular candidate can strengthen a relatively less dominant platform, while an unpopular candidate can weaken even the strongest political party.”

The intervention specifically identified Ogun East, where Abiodun emerged as the APC candidate following the party’s senatorial primary, as an area requiring urgent strategic review ahead of 2027.

It stressed that the call was “not an argument against Prince Dapo Abiodun as a person” but one centred on “electoral viability and the overall interest of the APC and President Tinubu in 2027.”

The development comes against the backdrop of the long-running political contest between Abiodun and former governor of Ogun State, Senator Gbenga Daniel, over the APC’s senatorial ticket for Ogun East.

Daniel, who represented Ogun East in the Senate, had sought to retain his position, while Abiodun’s emergence as the party’s candidate has intensified political calculations within the senatorial district.

The contest has its roots in the political differences between the two prominent Ogun politicians, whose relationship has evolved from cooperation to a more complex rivalry over influence in the state and, particularly, Ogun East.

Daniel, a former governor of Ogun State, was elected to the Senate in 2023 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), representing Ogun East. His subsequent movement into the APC and political alignment with the governing party brought him into the same political space as Abiodun.

The struggle over the senatorial ticket has consequently become part of the larger battle for political influence in Ogun East ahead of 2027.

Against that background, the intervention urged the APC leadership not to confuse endorsements from influential political figures with broad electoral acceptance among voters.

It urged Tinubu to ask his political advisers some fundamental questions about candidates being presented by the party.

“Can this candidate win? Is the candidate accepted across the constituency? Does the candidate inspire enthusiasm among ordinary voters? Will the candidate add votes to the President’s ticket or subtract from it?” it asked.

The intervention also warned the President against relying on information from political associates who might shield him from uncomfortable realities on the ground.

“Mr President must ignore sycophants, praise-singers and political naysayers who may be telling him only what they believe he wants to hear,” it said, stressing that leadership required “the courage to listen to uncomfortable truths, examine the realities on the ground and make necessary corrections before it becomes too late.”

It further argued that the APC should be prepared to substitute candidates where legally and procedurally possible if credible grassroots feedback and electoral calculations showed that such candidates could constitute liabilities to the party.

“A candidate should not be retained simply because powerful individuals have endorsed him. Elections are ultimately decided by voters, not endorsements,” it added.

The intervention maintained that the 2027 election should not be approached with complacency, particularly as the APC would need candidates capable of mobilising grassroots support and complementing Tinubu’s re-election campaign.

“Mr President, 2027 should be about winning, not pleasing political friends,” it stated, adding that “the time to correct a weak ticket is before the election, not after the results have been announced.”

The intervention therefore called on the APC to look beyond political connections, endorsements and influence and focus on the candidate’s ability to secure votes.

“The real question should be: Who can actually win the votes of the people?” it asked.