Insiders Tell Why Gbenga Daniel Is Named In Ibikunle Amosun–Tokunbo Talabi Seating Dispute

Amid ongoing controversy over the church seating dispute between former Governor Ibikunle Amosun and Secretary to the Ogun State Government Tokunbo Talabi, insiders say Senator Gbenga Daniel is being drawn into the narrative because of how quickly the incident gained public traction.

Political chatter claims allies of the Ogun East senator helped amplify the brief face-off, shaping early public sentiment around the theme “Tokunbo Talabi’s Disrespect to Ibikunle Amosun Shocks Ogun.” That framing, insiders say, left the state government scrambling to respond as criticism mounted over alleged disrespect to the former governor and his wife.

The confrontation occurred during a church service held in honour of Lucia Onabanjo. Accounts differ: the state government says seats were properly assigned elsewhere, while Amosun’s sympathisers insist Talabi overstepped by refusing to vacate the seat beside him for his wife.

The front row included Governor Dapo Abiodun, former Governor Olusegun Osoba and Deputy Governor Noimot Salako-Oyedele. Daniel sat further back and made no visible protest, though supporters chanted in his favour.

Insiders link the episode’s rapid spread to the broader political rivalry between Daniel and Abiodun over the Ogun East senatorial seat. Amplifying tensions around Talabi — widely regarded as the governor’s “hand and voice” — is seen by some as a move to weaken Abiodun’s alliances ahead of 2027.