Politics
Dapo Abiodun, Gbenga Daniel Trade Words Over Witch-Hunt, Intolerance
The political sparring between Governor Dapo Abiodun and former Governor Gbenga Daniel escalated on Sunday as Daniel accused Abiodun of intolerance and orchestrating a witch-hunt, rooted in the governor’s alleged aversion to inclusive governance.
Daniel made the remarks during a visit by his Bola Ahmed Tinubu/Otunba Gbenga Daniel political group to Ijebu Igbo in Ijebu North Local Government Area for the continuation of his Midterm Assessment Tour as Senator representing Ogun East.
According to Daniel, Abiodun operates a “three-man closed government where no one outside the tiny cabal can offer counsel without being ostracised, victimised, and marked for persecution.”
Daniel said, “It is the norm worldwide that after elections, governance is administered for all—for those who voted for you and those who did not. But since 2019 in Ogun State, the opposite is the case. Governance is administered strictly for a select few, while those perceived to be against the government are treated as outcasts. Threat of sack, demolition notices—these are weapons deployed against traditional rulers, community leaders, and even teachers, simply for interacting with those who have dared to offer constructive criticism. This is not governance; it is a cult, run with dictatorial instincts, treating our commonwealth as a personal estate.”
But Abiodun’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, dismissed Daniel’s allegations as baseless and an attempt to deflect the anti-party allegations levelled against him in Ward 4, Sabo, Sagamu.
Akinmade said, “If Senator Daniel knew he was not guilty of the anti-party allegation, why did he not go to defend himself before the investigation panel set up by his ward? Why has he now found it convenient to defend himself in the newspapers? The former governor is playing to the gallery and should be ignored.”
He added that the state government was not opposed to developmental projects but insisted Daniel must follow due process and obtain necessary clearances, noting that other senators, such as Solomon Adeola and Shuaib Salisu, always complied.
Akinmade further argued that Daniel, not Abiodun, should be accused of intolerance, citing how Daniel treated members of the state and national assembly during his tenure as governor.
Daniel said he ran into trouble with Abiodun because he dared to offer counsel where he deemed necessary.
“As a former governor and as your senator, I have a duty to speak truth to power,” he said. “I have tried, on several occasions, to counsel this governor privately on these issues. The reward for my private counsel was public ostracisation and removal from party and government activities. I have, therefore, held my peace, focusing on my work in Abuja. But when that work is sabotaged, silence is no longer an option.”
The former governor claimed that Abiodun was behind his purported suspension by the Ogun APC over alleged anti-party activities, describing it as part of the governor’s unwillingness to accommodate voices outside his inner circle.
“Let me be clear: there were no anti-party activities from me or any member of the BATOGD Movement before, during, or after any election. Our record is clean, our loyalty to the party and the President is unwavering. The problem is not about party discipline; it is about one man’s inability to tolerate inclusive governance.”
Daniel alleged that Abiodun consistently issued stop-work orders on constituency projects he facilitated for the senatorial district, including rehabilitation of the Itanrin and General Hospital roads.
“They erroneously believe the federal contractors are ‘OGD’s contractors’ and, in line with their agenda of removing anything associated with me, the projects must be frustrated. A ‘stop work order’ has been issued by the Local Government Chairman under immense pressure. The government is not asking why these projects are being blocked. If this order remains beyond December 2025, federal funding will be lost,” he warned.
He highlighted other interventions, including motorised boreholes, solar streetlights in Ago-Iwoye and Ijebu-Igbo, sponsoring bills for a Federal Medical Centre in Ijebu Ode, and free eye surgeries for over 4,000 people, noting that such initiatives were being undermined.
Daniel urged traditional rulers and leaders to prevail on the governor to stop issuing halt orders on constituency projects, warning that these actions were shortchanging the people and delaying development.
Daniel reaffirmed that the BATOGD Movement remains committed to the development of Ogun East and President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He expressed gratitude to the APC National Working Committee and President Tinubu for intervening in the party crisis, citing a recent letter by National Secretary Senator Ajibola Basiru affirming his party membership.
He added that he is ready to defend his innocence before any investigation panel, appealing for the intervention of traditional rulers and well-meaning leaders to resolve the impasse.
It will be recalled that following an inquiry by MJS Law Firm, Basiru stated that the NWC had yet to deliberate on Daniel’s suspension, confirming him as a bona fide member of the party.
The APC in Ward 4, Sabo, Sagamu, however, insisted the suspension remained in force, arguing that the NWC lacked authority to override disciplinary actions at ward, local government, state, or zonal levels, citing Daniel’s alleged refusal to honour invitations to defend himself.
The senatorial list for the 2027 polls has formally confirmed the exit of at least 52 serving senators who have no chance of returning to the 11th National Assembly next year, according to the Nigerian Tribune.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had released the final list of candidates qualified to contest the National Assembly polls on Saturday last week.
From the list, the names of about 57 senators serving in the current 10th Assembly were submitted by their political parties after primaries and verified by INEC as qualified to contest the polls in January next year.
The remaining 52 will be exiting the Senate at the end of their term in June 2027, having been excluded from the final list released by INEC.
Findings by the Nigerian Tribune showed that some senators won’t be returning not necessarily because they failed to secure tickets but for the reason that they are aspiring for other offices, especially the governorship seat of their states.
However, the majority won’t be returning because, having lost their primaries, their efforts to secure tickets on platforms other than their original political parties also fell flat.
Sources also said some senators simply stepped down to avoid a clash with their governors, who had indicated interest to take over their seats and had gone ahead to pick the tickets.
In Ogun State, for instance, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Ademola Solomon Olamilekan, will exit the Senate, having secured the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In the same state, former governor Gbenga Daniel won’t return for the Ogun-East seat because Governor Dapo Abiodun will contest the poll in Daniel’s place.
In Nasarawa, a former chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts (SPAC), Senator Aliyu Wadada, is gunning for the governorship in 2027, having won the APC’s ticket.
In Imo State, the chairman, Senate Committee on Capital Market, Senator Osita Izunaso’s Imo-West ticket was ceded to Governor Hope Uzodinma, while a similar situation played out in Yobe and Gombe states, among others where sitting governors took over the Senate tickets.
As for Sokoto State, former governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, who is among the 52 outgoing senators, won’t return because the former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant stepped down for a young contestant in a power-sharing understanding of his current political party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
However, the list also shows that in some states, all three current senators secured tickets and have hopes of returning in 2027 among the 57 on the INEC list.
In Lagos State, Senator Adetokumbo Abiru (Lagos-East); Senator Adebule Idiat Oluranti (Lagos-West); and Senator Sanni Eshilokun (Lagos-Central) have return tickets and chances of being part of the 11th Assembly.
In Ekiti, the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti-Central); the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu (Ekiti-South); and Senator Fasuyi Cyril Oluwole (Ekiti-North) — all have return tickets.
The story is not different in the Senate President’s (Godswill Akpabio) home state, Akwa Ibom, where Akpabio (Akwa Ibom North-West); Senator Aniekan Bassey (Akwa Ibom North-East); and Senator Ekong Sampson (Akwa Ibom South) also have return tickets.
All three senators in Borno State, including Mohammed Ali Ndume, are among the 57 serving lawmakers shortlisted by INEC for the 2027 election.
According to investigations, serving senators not on the INEC list have only one final window, which is by withdrawal or replacement of the candidates on the list, depending on the option applicable in a particular case.
Section 31 of the Electoral Act 2026, dealing with withdrawal of candidates, states: “A candidate may withdraw his candidature by notice in writing signed by him together with a sworn affidavit delivered personally by the candidate to the political party that nominated him for the election and the political party shall convey such withdrawal and the sworn affidavit to the Commission not later than 90 days to the election.”
The related provision on replacement is Section 33, which provides:
“A political party shall not be allowed to change or substitute its candidate whose name has been submitted under Section 29 of this Act, except in the case of death or withdrawal by the candidate…”
Thus, the 90-day rule in Section 31 concerns the deadline for transmitting a candidate’s withdrawal and sworn affidavit to INEC. Section 33 then permits substitution only where the candidate has died or withdrawn, subject to the conditions that follow in that section.
The Act separately requires INEC to publish the full names and addresses of all candidates standing nominated at least 60 days before election day under Section 32(1).
The Presidential and National Assembly polls will be held on January 16, 2027, an indication that political parties still have over 120 days within which they may make changes.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has published the names and personal particulars of presidential candidates who will contest the 2027 general election.
Daily Voice gathered that the list puts the number of presidential candidates at 19, with each candidate accompanied by a nominated running mate.
The publication brings further clarity to the field ahead of the presidential election and places the candidates’ credentials and other personal information before the Nigerian public.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is seeking another term on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC. Vice President Kashim Shettima remains his running mate.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is contesting under the African Democratic Congress, ADC. The former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, is his running mate.
Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi is also on the list. Obi is contesting under the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, with former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as his running mate.
The publication also includes the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which is fielding Sandy Onor as its presidential candidate. Umaru Babangida is listed as his running mate.
African Action Congress, AAC, has Omoyele Sowore as its presidential candidate, with Haruna Garba Magashi as his running mate.
Other candidates include former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke of the Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, with Buba Musa as his running mate.
The National Democratic Party, NDP, is represented by Ada Elizabeth Frederick Okwori, while Uchenna Anthony Chukwuemeka is listed as her running mate.
The Young Progressives Party, YPP, is fielding Anita Zugwai Chukwu as its presidential candidate, with Egbeola Olawale Mertins as the vice-presidential candidate.
Rufai Adekunle Omoaje is the candidate of the Action Alliance, AA, while Shehu Hussaini is listed as his running mate.
The Boot Party has Sunday Adenuga as its presidential candidate and Usman Turaki Mustapha as his running mate.
Samuel Memeh is contesting under the Democratic Liberty Alliance, DLA, with Alex Balogun as his running mate.
Daniel Danerechukwu Nwanyanwu is the Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, presidential candidate. Hassan Khalid is listed as his running mate.
The Labour Party, LP, is fielding Sunday Chibuzor Okereke, with Hajja Bintu Konto as his running mate.
Iken Esther Okereke is the presidential candidate of the National Rescue Movement, NRM, while Samuel Magdalene Gali is the vice-presidential candidate.
Abbas-Bin Aliyu is contesting under the Action Democratic Party, ADP, with Chinazam Ike as his running mate.
The New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, is represented by Suleiman Mohammed Dikwa, while Abubakar Isah is listed as his running mate.
The Social Democratic Party, SDP, is fielding Adewole Ebenezer Adebayo, with Usman Mohammed Bugaje as his running mate.
Seyi Makinde is listed as the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, with Ibrahim Adamu Bala as his running mate.
The Action Peoples Party, APP, has Kabiru Yusuf as its presidential candidate, with Peace Egobia Ofordile as his running mate.
The publication of the candidates’ details followed the requirement for INEC to make the particulars submitted by political parties and their candidates available for public scrutiny.
The documents contain information such as dates of birth, educational qualifications, occupations and other personal details supplied by the candidates.
The exercise gives political parties, candidates and members of the public an opportunity to examine the information submitted to the electoral commission.
It also provides an important reference point ahead of the commencement of the next stage of the electoral process.
According to INEC, the publication of candidates’ particulars is tied to the provisions of the Electoral Act. Section 29(3) requires the commission to publish the personal particulars of nominated candidates after receiving the relevant nomination documents.
Tinubu is seeking to retain the presidency for the APC after winning the 2023 presidential election.
Atiku is returning to the presidential contest on a different platform after leaving the PDP for the ADC coalition.
Obi, who finished third in the 2023 presidential election, is also returning to the race under the NDC.
Moreover, the information released by INEC contains qualifications ranging from primary and secondary school certificates to university degrees and higher academic qualifications.
For instance, Tinubu’s submitted particulars include a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Chicago State University.
Shettima submitted records of his primary and secondary education, as well as degrees in agricultural studies, while Atiku’s documents include his First School Leaving Certificate, West African School Certificate and a master’s degree in International Relations.
Amaechi also submitted details of his academic background, including his university education and legal qualifications.
Obi’s records include a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Kwankwaso’s credentials include a Higher Diploma in Civil Engineering from Kaduna Polytechnic and his National Youth Service Corps certificate.
Recall, INEC had earlier fixed the presidential and National Assembly election for February 20, 2027, before subsequent revisions to the electoral timetable.
The commission’s current online election calendar lists January 16, 2027 for the Presidential and House of Assembly election and February 6, 2027 for the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections.
INEC has also urged political parties, candidates and voters to follow the approved timetable and comply with the rules governing the electoral process.
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