Fresh and extensive investigations reveal the precise political mechanisms through which Senator Gbenga Daniel, a former governor of Ogun State, has been strategically sidelined within the state’s All Progressives Congress (APC) power hierarchy, severely diminishing his influence ahead of the 2027 elections.
Multiple high-level party sources, speaking on strict condition of anonymity, have confirmed to our publication that President Bola Tinubu’s deliberate omission of Ogun State from a critical national reconciliation initiative was not an oversight, but a calculated endorsement of the existing status quo under Governor Dapo Abiodun.
The Decisive Presidential Snub
President Tinubu, in his capacity as the party’s National Leader, recently tasked the APC Reconciliation Committee with urgently resolving internal crises in 11 specifically named states. The exclusion of Ogun from this list sent a powerful, unambiguous message: the national leadership sees no widespread crisis requiring mediation in the state, thereby validating the current structure led by Governor Abiodun.
“This was the final nail in the coffin for Daniel’s attempts to stage a comeback through the back door,” a senior APC National Working Committee member revealed. “His camp had been lobbying intensely to get Ogun included on that list, hoping a reconciliation exercise would force a negotiation of his position and that of his suspended allies. The President’s decision shut that down completely.”
The Unresolved Suspension and National Dispute
The senator’s troubles are rooted in his suspension last year by the APC in Ward 4, Sagamu, for alleged anti-party activities—a suspension swiftly ratified by the State Working Committee. While the party’s National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, publicly challenged the procedure, citing a lack of consultation, the national body has taken no concrete step to overturn it.
Insiders note that this procedural dispute provided a smokescreen. “Basiru’s intervention was more about constitutional propriety than support for Daniel. Behind the scenes, there was no appetite in Abuja to reinstate someone seen as fostering a parallel party system,” a source in the Vice President’s office explained.
The “Gateway Frontier” Albatross
Our investigation uncovers that Daniel’s involvement with the “Gateway Frontier” political group has become his major liability. Described by party officials as a “PDP reservoir in APC clothing,” the group is populated by former PDP stalwarts who followed Daniel into the APC but have remained a distinct bloc.
“This group has been holding separate meetings, making endorsements, and functioning as a party-within-a-party,” a member of the Ogun State Executive Council stated. “The Governor and the state party machinery view it as a fifth column, especially with 2027 approaching. Loyalty is paramount.”
A Directive That Underscores Marginalisation
In a move interpreted as both a slight and a test, the APC national leadership has reportedly directed Senator Daniel to work under Governor Abiodun to mobilise members for the ongoing e-registration exercise.
“This directive is deeply symbolic,” a political analyst close to the Government House in Abeokuta noted. “It formally places Daniel in a subordinate, implementer role to the Governor, contradicting any perception of him as a co-leader. It’s a public reaffirmation of the chain of command. Furthermore, it ties his legitimacy within the party to his cooperation with an exercise meant to solidify the existing membership register, which is controlled by the state apparatus.”
The 2027 Calculus
The implications for the next election cycle are stark. With the reconciliation window closed and his suspension technically festering, Daniel’s ability to influence candidate selections, including his own re-election ticket, is now severely compromised. The state structure, emboldened by Tinubu’s tacit support, is consolidating.
“Senator Daniel is now effectively a figurehead in Ogun APC,” a former commissioner in the state concluded. “He has the title, but the real political machinery, the patronage, and the path to 2027 are firmly in the hands of Governor Abiodun and his allies. The President’s list made that official.”
As of now, Senator Daniel’s camp has offered no official response to these developments. However, the silence from Abuja speaks volumes, confirming a significant reconfiguration of power in Ogun State politics that has left a former governor out in the cold.
