Senate: Adedayo Explains Why Adoption Of Abiodun As Consensus Candidate Is “Political Masturbation”

Former Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government, Wale Adedayo, has faulted the adoption of Governor Dapo Abiodun as the All Progressives Congress (APC) consensus candidate for Ogun East Senatorial District, describing the process as a distortion of democratic norms.

Adedayo, a prominent figure in Ogun East politics and former aide to both Abiodun and incumbent Senator Gbenga Daniel, spoke against the backdrop of a deepening political contest between the two leaders over the senatorial seat.

The former council boss criticised the circumstances surrounding the meeting held in Ijebu Ode where Abiodun was reportedly adopted, alleging that the exclusion of the sitting senator undermined the legitimacy of the exercise.

“There is absolutely nothing wrong in following the consensus option in politics. It was the preferred mode among the old guards of Afenifere. But following that route requires a lot of give and take. It is not done as if a dictator has given an order. That cannot be consensus,” Adedayo said.

He argued that the process fell short of established political traditions, particularly those associated with the Afenifere, where consensus building is rooted in negotiation and accommodation.

Adedayo did not mince words in condemning the meeting, insisting that the exclusion of Daniel from what was termed a senatorial gathering rendered the outcome questionable.

“The alleged consensus arrangement by the Ogun East Senatorial District leadership of the APC in Ijebu Ode today made a mockery of what should have been a celebration. How do you lock out the current Senator of the District and you claim to be having a Senatorial Meeting?” he queried.

In a stinging remark that has since reverberated across the political landscape of Ogun East, Adedayo described the exercise as lacking strategic depth.

“What the leaders did today was Political Masturbation and not a Political Calculation,” he declared.

His intervention is seen by observers as significant, given his longstanding involvement in the district’s political evolution and his close working relationship with both contending figures.

The unfolding dispute highlights growing tensions within the All Progressives Congress in Ogun East, where the battle for the senatorial ticket is increasingly shaping up as a high-stakes contest between Abiodun and Daniel.

With both camps mobilising support, the controversy over the adoption process may further deepen divisions within the party, setting the stage for a fierce political showdown in the district.