Ogun politicians reject ‘consensus’ governorship plot, label report ‘desperate and misleading’

Senior politicians in Ogun State have dismissed reports that leaders of the All Progressives Congress have adopted consensus governorship aspirants for the South-West states, describing the claim as a “desperate and misguided attempt” to manipulate the political process.

Stakeholders said the narrative, which emerged in a national newspaper, aimed to deceive other aspirants into abandoning their ambitions ahead of the 2027 governorship race.

They insisted that any attempt to impose candidates under the guise of consensus would fail, stressing that the provisions of the amended electoral law clearly set out the conditions for adopting consensus candidates.

The controversial report claimed that the party leaders, after an alleged meeting with President Bola Tinubu, had reached an agreement with the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Obafemi Hamzat; Senator representing Ogun West, Olamilekan Adeola (popularly known as Yayi); and Senator representing Oyo South, Sharafadeen Alli, as preferred candidates in their respective states.

Reacting, a party leader, Dr. Akin Ogunsanwo, dismissed the report as a fabrication orchestrated by politicians wary of a transparent primary process.

He clarified that, contrary to claims, the President was not physically present at the meeting where these discussions would take place.

Ogunsanwo expressed concern that what he described as a routine courtesy visit to the president post-Ramadan was being distorted to promote “toxic and misleading narratives” capable of discouraging genuine aspirants.

Similarly, an APC member in Abeokuta, Adio Opeloyeru, said the report was full of inconsistencies that discerning observers could easily identify.

He maintained that Tinubu would not be involved in any consensus agreement without the participation of critical stakeholders, including leaders and aspiring state parties.

Opeloyeru also accused the Senate leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, of trying to influence the political direction in Ogun State in favor of Adeola.

According to him, Bamidele had recently visited the state, appealing to stakeholders to accept Adeola as an indigene and support him as a consensus candidate.

He said: “The changes pushed for Ogun State are not feasible. It appears to be a continuation of the Senate leader’s agenda. His recent visit, in which he sought support for Yayi, was met with widespread resistance, including from senior government officials and party stakeholders.”

He also rejected insinuations that Governor Dapo Abiodun would be forced to support any aspirant, describing such claims as “ridiculous and baseless”.

“The report was clearly manipulated to create the impression that the governor was forced to adopt a particular candidate. This is far from the truth,” he added.

Similarly, the Ogun West Renaissance Movement rejected what it described as an “orchestrated attempt” to impose an “imported politician” on the Yewa people.

In a statement signed by its coordinator, Amos Adegbite, the group said it will only support a candidate who emerges through a credible and democratic process.

The group stressed that the people of Ogun West remain politically conscious and will resist any external imposition, reaffirming their commitment to transparent primary elections.

Stakeholders across the state have reiterated that the race for the Ogun governorship position remains open, warning against attempts to undermine intra-party democracy.

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