By Dr. Ope Banwo
In what appears to be a scorched-earth bid to hound his long-time political benefactor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel—the same man who helped pave his path to victory in 2019— Gov. Abiodun has now escalated his campaign of persecution against OGD.
This is not just a rivalry; it is a staggering act of betrayal. OGD is not an ordinary politician—he is a two-term former governor, a respected grassroots mobilizer, and one of the most formidable political forces in Ogun State.
In 2019, it was his quiet but decisive support that swung critical structures in Abiodun’s favor, saving Dapo Abiodun’s ambition when his candidacy faced serious headwinds.
Yet today, Abiodun has chosen to repay loyalty with persecution, attempting to erase the very man who once helped him to the governorship seat.
In a bizarre twist of betrayal that has become the hallmark of Abiodun’s politics, the man once derisively labeled “Eleyi” by President Tinubu—after his alleged failed attempt to backstab the President during the 2023 APC primaries—has now turned his dagger on another benefactor.
First, he allegedly sought to undermine the President himself, and now he has inexplicably turned Gbenga Daniel into his number-one enemy, simply because he covets OGD’s senatorial seat.
Having failed in his reckless attempt to demolish OGD’s houses, Abiodun seemed to have doubled down by orchestrating a sham “suspension” of OGD from the APC. Apparently, some few handpicked loyalists of Gov Dapo Abiodun met in secret, without due process (they never formally accused him of any anti-party activities; never served OGD any notices of party rule violation and never invited him to defend himself of anything ), without evidence, without fair hearing, and declared OGD suspended.
It is not party politics—it is the politics of betrayal. It would be something to laugh at only if it were not a serious concerning matter for vigilant organizations like our Naija Lives Matter Organization which continues to monitor this escalating situation with trepidation for the sake of our democracy and innocent lives that may be put at risk when this lawlessness spirals out of control.
Without a doubt , to any observer, this move coming right after the courts stopped Dapo Abiodun’s planned illegal demolitions of all OGD Houses.
Having failed to demolish OGD’s houses, Abiodun has now turned to the party machinery, in his unrelenting quest to seize OGD’s senatorial seat once his own gubernatorial tenure expires.
What happened in Shagamu was not party discipline. Seven pro-Abiodun loyalists—reportedly acting under the Governor’s direct instruction, announced that OGD was “suspended.” No particulars of wrongdoing were ever supplied. No official notice was served. No investigative body was convened. No fair hearing was given. Nothing remotely resembling the APC constitution was followed.
The suspension is yet another chapter in Abiodun’s growing reputation for emperor-style politics. For a governor already battling multiple petitions at the EFCC—petitions insiders say he hopes to bury by hiding under the cover of a Senate seat—the motive is clear: he wants OGD out of the way, expelled if possible, so he can clear the path to Abuja and use the senate power to escape the day of reckoning.
Abiodun’s persecution of OGD is not new—it has been escalating for years.
2023: A multibillion-naira commercial complex belonging to OGD’s wife, Yeye Olufunke Daniel, was demolished by Abiodun’s government in the middle of the night on a Sunday under the excuse of “contraventions” even while the alleged contraventions were still a subject matter of a pending lawsuit.
OGD and his followers took the matter to court and 2 years later are still waiting for justice through our court system .
2025: Abiodun allegedly moved against OGD’s Sagamu residence and other properties through an alleged notice of contravention. A High Court had to step in with an injunction restraining the state from demolishing them.
Even after the court spoke, Abiodun doubled down with the political stunt of suspending OGD from APC for “anti party activities’. The nation just woke up 2 days ago to read in many newspapers that OGD has been suspended from APC .
Collateral Damage: Party in Disarray, State on Edge
Gov. Abiodun’s move to cripple OGD and pave way for his own senatorial seat, has created a toxic climate in Ogun APC. Party loyalists aligned with Daniel now face ostracism, harassment, and intimidation. Instead of building cohesion ahead of 2027, Ogun APC is being torn apart.
History is clear: no political party survives long when its internal wars become blood sport. APC’s grassroots morale is shrinking while opposition parties are building up.
The Abuja Blind Spot: Why Tinubu Must Pay Attention
OGD is not a lightweight—he remains one of Ogun’s most connected political heavyweights, with deep grassroots structures and goodwill. If Gov. Abiodun succeeds in hounding him out of APC, PDP or ADC will happily welcome him.
That single defection could instantly transform Ogun from an APC fortress into a battleground state in 2027. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election map relies on a united Southwest. He cannot afford Ogun—his own political neighborhood—to be fractured.
Suspending a former governor and sitting APC senator is not “discipline”; it is detonation. The shrapnel will not just wound OGD; it could weaken Tinubu’s reelection bid.
A Dangerous Legacy in the Making
Governor Abiodun’s move against OGD could become the bonfire that consumes his own political future—and by extension, the fragile fortunes of APC in Ogun State ahead of 2027.
The solution is clear: President Tinubu and the APC national leadership must intervene now. They must rein in Gov. Dapo Abiodun’s move before Ogun APC collapses and before the opposition converts this internal war into a 2027 earthquake.
Final Word
The warning signs are flashing red. Ogun deserves better. APC can do better. Nigeria also deserves better.
* Dr. Ope Banwo is Founder, Naija Lives Matter