2027: Daniel challenges Abiodun to live debate over Ogun East ticket
Daniel Challenges Abiodun to Live Debate Over Ogun East Ticket
Former Ogun State Governor and current senator Gbenga Daniel has called on Governor Dapo Abiodun to participate in a live television debate regarding their contest for the Ogun East senatorial ticket in the upcoming 2027 elections.
During an interview on TVC’s “Beyond The Headlines” on Thursday, Daniel dismissed claims that Abiodun had been chosen as the consensus candidate for the senatorial seat.
“There was no consensus. Consensus requires agreement by all parties involved. What happened was an endorsement,” Daniel said.
The senator indicated that he has obtained nomination forms and successfully completed the screening process for the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries, demonstrating his intent to run despite pressure from party stakeholders.
Daniel alleged that he was excluded from a significant APC caucus meeting where Abiodun received his endorsement, calling this exclusion politically inappropriate given his role as the incumbent senator.
He also expressed concerns that certain party leaders were crossing political boundaries and warned that decisions made around the governor could negatively impact his administration.
“There are certain lines you don’t cross in this business,” he stated.
Daniel’s challenge to Abiodun included a request for a televised debate where both would publicly defend their records and policies.
“I would like to sit with him in public, with facts and figures, and let Nigerians judge,” he said, adding, “This is an open invitation. If you don’t do that, my assumption is that he ran away. It’s an open challenge.”
The senator also alleged that some party members felt pressured into supporting the governor’s endorsement due to the influence of incumbency and prevailing economic conditions. He claimed that individuals who publicly supported Abiodun had voiced doubts about the endorsement process privately.
Furthermore, Daniel raised concerns about the integrity of the APC primary elections in Ogun State, asserting that officials who were expected to remain neutral had already shown favoritism.
He urged the party’s national leadership to guarantee a transparent and equitable primary election to prevent further divisions within the APC as it approaches the 2027 elections.
Daniel expressed that he would step aside from the race if President Bola Tinubu personally requested him to do so for the sake of party unity.
“The president is the leader of the party. If he asks me to step down, I will obey,” he stated.
