Former governor and senator representing Ogun East, Gbenga Daniel, has called out Governor Dapo Abiodun to a live television debate over the struggle for the Ogun East senatorial ticket ahead of the 2027 elections.
Daniel made the challenge during an interview on TVC’s Beyond The Headlines on Thursday, where he dismissed claims that Abiodun had been selected as the consensus candidate for the senatorial seat.
According to the senator, what actually happened was only an endorsement, not a consensus, and he maintained that all aspirants must reach agreement before anyone can legitimately be described as a consensus choice.
“There was no consensus. Consensus requires agreement by all parties involved. What happened was an endorsement,” Daniel said.
The former governor confirmed that he had already collected nomination forms and completed screening for the APC primaries, showing that he remains committed to contesting despite pressure from party stakeholders.
Daniel further claimed he was not invited to a crucial APC caucus meeting where Abiodun was endorsed, describing the situation as politically inappropriate given his status as the sitting senator.
He also accused some party leaders of overstepping political boundaries and cautioned that certain decisions being made around the governor could negatively affect his administration.
“There are certain lines you don’t cross in this business,” he stated.
In a direct challenge to the governor, Daniel proposed a public, televised face-to-face debate where both men would present their records and positions for Nigerians to assess.
“I would like to sit with him in public, with facts and figures, and let Nigerians judge,” he said.
“This is an open invitation. And between you and I, if you don’t do that, my assumption is that he ran away. It’s an open challenge.”
He also alleged that some party members were pressured into supporting the governor’s endorsement due to the influence of incumbency and prevailing economic hardship.
According to him, several of those who publicly backed Abiodun had privately expressed doubts about how the process was handled.
The senator additionally raised concerns about the credibility of the APC primary process in Ogun State, claiming that officials who were expected to remain neutral had already taken sides.
He urged the party’s national leadership to guarantee a transparent and fair primary election, warning that failure to do so could deepen divisions within the APC ahead of the 2027 elections.