Fresh cracks have emerged within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State following claims by former governor and senator representing Ogun East, Gbenga Daniel, that he was deliberately shut out of a key stakeholders’ meeting in Ijebu Ode.
The meeting, which held on Monday at Adeola Odutola Hall, was convened by party leaders in the Ogun East Senatorial District as part of ongoing consultations within the APC.
Daniel, a former governor of Ogun State and a prominent figure in the party, expressed his displeasure in a video that circulated widely on social media shortly after the incident.
In the footage, the senator was seen addressing supporters from his campaign bus, branded with the OGD/PBAT Movement, after being denied entry into the venue.
“We are here for our Ogun East APC caucus meeting, but surprisingly, we have been barred. We are told that we can’t enter,” he said. “Let it be known that whatever they do here today is null and void.”
The development has raised concerns about internal divisions within the Ogun APC, particularly in the Ogun East axis, where political alignments have remained fluid in recent months.
An invitation letter for the emergency stakeholders’ meeting, issued by party leadership in Ijebu Ode, had listed a broad range of attendees. Those expected included deputy governors, former and serving local government chairmen, councillors, as well as past and current members of the state and National Assemblies.
It remains unclear why Daniel, a sitting senator and former governor, was excluded from the gathering, a move that observers say could deepen tensions within the party ahead of future political contests.
Efforts to get an official reaction from Ogun APC leaders were unsuccessful as of press time. However, party insiders suggest the incident may not be unconnected to ongoing power struggles among key stakeholders in the district.