Why Senator Afolabi Salisu Faces Slim Chances Of Re-Election In 2027

The road back to the Senate looks uncertain for Senator Afolabi Salisu.

Insiders insist there is a strong chance he will not get the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for Ogun Central in 2027 — despite the backing of Governor Dapo Abiodun, who controls the state chapter of the party.

“The political dynamics have changed. Stakes are higher. Realignments are everywhere,” a party source revealed.

Salisu, once Chief of Staff to Abiodun, entered the Senate in 2023 under unusual circumstances.

Former Governor Ibikunle Amosun had challenged for the APC presidential ticket while backing Biyi Otegbeye of the ADC against Abiodun’s re-election bid.

Amosun later stepped aside for Bola Tinubu, helping him win both the APC presidential ticket and the 2023 election.

The presidential and National Assembly elections took place on the same day, with the APC riding Tinubu’s momentum, Salisu won the Ogun Central seat. Amosun, who previously held the seat, did not sponsor a successor.

But 2027 is shaping up differently. Amosun is now fully back in the APC and pushing for control of Ogun Central.

His camp remains the most formidable structure in the district, and party insiders believe the senatorial ticket is likely to swing back to his side as a gesture of reconciliation and good faith. “Salisu is not one of the big names. With Amosun back in play, the ticket is almost certainly going to his camp,” another insider stressed.

Adding to Salisu’s troubles is the bitter clash between his main backer, Governor Abiodun, and Senator Gbenga Daniel over Ogun East. Abiodun, who completes his second term in 2027, wants to move to the Senate.

But Daniel — a two-term former governor currently representing Ogun East — is determined to retain his seat. The battle has turned into a full-scale rivalry, threatening President Tinubu’s call for a united APC ahead of the general elections.

The Abiodun–Daniel feud makes balancing power in Ogun Central even more critical.

Insiders argue it will be easier for the party to appease Amosun’s camp with the senatorial ticket than to risk further divisions.

“Ogun East and Ogun Central are the largest voting blocs. Tinubu wants both under control. Giving Central to Amosun looks like the smartest option,” one source concluded.

For Salisu, it all adds up to a slim chance at a second term.