In a move that has sent shockwaves through Ogun State’s political landscape, the suspension of former Governor and sitting Senator Gbenga Daniel from the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been revealed as the culmination of a calculated series of anti-party actions, a multi-billion naira deal with the opposition, and a brazen attempt to undermine the government that facilitated his political comeback.
Highly placed sources within the Ogun APC State Working Committee (SWC), which ratified the suspension last week, have provided this publication with a detailed chronology of events alleging gross disloyalty and subversion by the Ogun East senator.
The Final Straw: A By-Election Snub and a Coded Message
The immediate trigger for the disciplinary action, according to party insiders, was Senator Daniel’s conduct during the recent House of Representatives by-election in Remo North. The senator allegedly deliberately shunned the party’s campaign efforts, even when the National Chairman of the APC, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, visited the state to lead the charge.
More egregiously, he was accused of sending a covert text message to his supporters, instructing them to vote in the August 17 by-election “like they did last time.” This phrase was a clear reference to the March 18, 2023, governorship election, where Senator Daniel allegedly mobilised his political structure to support the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Ladi Adebutu, who is currently standing trial for alleged vote buying and criminal conspiracy.
Sources confirm that the APC leadership got wind of the message, prompting Daniel to hastily delete it, but the damage was already done. This act was seen as a direct and intentional sabotage of the party’s interests.
A History of Alleged Betrayal and a Billion-Naira Deal
The by-election incident was reportedly the latest in a long line of betrayals that began almost immediately after Senator Daniel secured the Ogun East senatorial ticket—a ticket he obtained through the direct intervention of Governor Dapo Abiodun.
It was revealed that traditional rulers in the state, led by the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba (Dr.) Sikiru Adetona, had prevailed upon Governor Abiodun to back Daniel’s senatorial bid and persuade the then-incumbent senator, Lekan Mustapha, to step down.
However, upon securing the ticket, Senator Daniel allegedly turned against his benefactor. Party sources claim he reasoned that if he could stop Governor Abiodun from winning re-election, it would position him as the frontline candidate from Ogun East (the same district as the governor) for the 2027 gubernatorial race.
To actualise this plot, investigators allege Senator Daniel struck a massive financial deal worth billions of naira with the camp of PDP gubernatorial candidate Ladi Adebutu. This was despite having already received mobilisation funds from the APC leadership for the general elections after his own senatorial victory.
In a stunning revelation, a financial investigation traced over N350 million in tranches from an associate of a prominent PDP figure to the account of Senator Daniel’s Gateway Front Foundation (GFF) domiciled at FCMB. The funds were subsequently allegedly moved to the senator’s private accounts, an action said to be in direct contravention of Nigerian laws governing foundations and charities.
Threats and a “Serial Betrayer” Tag
The party’s decision to suspend him was reportedly solidified when, upon being invited to respond to the allegations, Senator Daniel and his associates began threatening the leadership of his Ward 4 in Sagamu Local Government Area.
A longtime member of the Ogun APC reflected on the situation, stating, “Amosun understood Daniel’s manner of operation and ensured that he was kept at bay for eight years. Because Abiodun moved mountains to ensure Daniel was given the senatorial ticket, many were left wondering how he bit the finger that fed him.”
“That’s why the tag of serial betrayer seems to have stuck with him, and many party faithful have decided to keep him at arm’s length.”
When contacted for a reaction, a spokesperson for Senator Daniel declined to comment, stating they would issue a formal statement in due course. The Ogun APC State working committee, chaired by Chief Yemi Sanusi, has stated that the suspension remains in effect pending the outcome of a disciplinary committee review.
Amid the revelations surrounding his acquisition of the APC ticket, Senator Otunba Gbenga Daniel’s extensive political journey across the Nigerian partisan landscape has come back into focus.
The former governor’s political career has been marked by significant movement between major political parties, a detail that adds context to the recent behind-the-scenes efforts to secure his senatorial bid.
Investigations show that Daniel was a member of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in Ogun State, was elected Governor in 2003 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after a high-profile defection.
After completing his two terms in office in 2011, his political trajectory continued to evolve. He later left the PDP for the Labour Party (LP), and PPN on which platform he contested a senatorial seat in 2015, though unsuccessfully.
His journey eventually came full circle with a return to the PDP, before his final and most recent move to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2021, the party from which he now serves as a Senator.
