Why APC May Lose Ogun, Untold Story Of Daniel & Abiodun’s Quarrel – Insider

Fresh cracks in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State have deepened following the suspension of former governor and serving senator, Gbenga Daniel, amid what observers now describe as an internal “war” in the party.

Wale Adedayo, a former chairman of Ijebu East Local Government and one-time aspirant for the Federal House of Representatives under the APC, has offered fresh insight into the festering rift between Senator Daniel and Governor Dapo Abiodun.

Adedayo, who was once a key ally of both men, described the crisis as a consequence of mistrust, misinformation, and political miscalculations that could cost the party its hold on the state in 2027.

Speaking in reaction to a comment by Ganiyu Adewale Adefulu, Adedayo said the narrative being circulated about Daniel’s alleged anti-party activities lacks factual grounding. According to him, many of the “facts” being bandied about were fed to the public by loyalists of the governor. He cited personal experiences from the 2023 general election as proof that the issues between the two leaders were long-brewing and mishandled.

Adedayo recounted that shortly after the National Assembly elections in 2023, he received reports that Daniel lost at Governor Abiodun’s polling unit in Iperu. Concerned about the implications, he tried to initiate reconciliation between both camps ahead of the governorship poll. He contacted Senator Solomon Adeola of Ogun West—believing Daniel would listen to him as a neutral figure—and arranged a meeting through Adeola’s media aide, Chief Kayode Odunaro.

He also disclosed that he met with four local government chairmen from Ogun East — Ijebu East, Ijebu Ode, Ikenne, and Remo North — at Grand Honours Hotel in Ijebu Ode to discuss how to mend the growing rift. Their efforts culminated in a meeting with Daniel at his Sagamu residence, where Abiodun’s mother was reportedly brought into the conversation via phone call to help broker peace. Both men, Adedayo said, agreed to resolve their issues privately.

The reconciliation, however, did not endure. Adedayo insisted that allegations that Daniel worked against the APC candidate during the recent House of Representatives bye-election were baseless. “If OGD wanted to work against the APC candidate, things would have taken a different turn,” he said, dismissing the claims as political propaganda.

He argued that the APC’s struggles in Ogun East predated any alleged fallout between the two politicians. According to him, the party was already unpopular in the senatorial district before the 2023 elections, with growing discontent among the electorate and even party loyalists. “Ogun East was bad. The predictions were not good at all,” he said, revealing that Daniel had employed an opinion poll consultant to gauge public sentiment — a practice he adopted from his days as governor.

Adedayo claimed that despite internal opposition, Daniel’s early campaign efforts helped lift the party’s fortunes during the 2023 elections, benefiting not only the APC’s National Assembly candidates but even President Bola Tinubu. “Many of those who won in Ogun East on the APC platform rode on OGD’s structure,” he said.

He warned that the current complacency among APC leaders could spell electoral disaster if left unchecked. “Many of our so-called leaders in APC are complacent because PDP is imploding. But have they given any thought to what ADC can do in Ogun State? The people are angry,” he said. “Any properly organized political party will beat APC silly in the next election if care is not taken.”

Adedayo’s remarks carry weight, given his own political trajectory.

A former Chief Press Secretary under Daniel’s administration, he was once considered a staunch supporter of Governor Abiodun before their relationship broke down. His impeachment as Ijebu East chairman followed his open agitation for local governments in the state to have direct control over their allocations — a move that led to his arrest and detention amid counter-allegations from government quarters.

With the deepening division between two of the party’s most influential figures, insiders fear that the APC’s internal rift could grow beyond repair. For now, the unfolding drama between Daniel and Abiodun is more than a personal feud; it is fast becoming a test of survival for the ruling party in Ogun State.