Why Abiodun Didn’t Initially Support President Tinubu’s Bid For APC’s Nomination – OGD Alleges

Former Governor of Ogun State and Senator representing Ogun East senatorial district, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, has alleged that the Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun did not initially support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s bid for APC’s nomination.

OGD as he’s fondly called disclosed this in an interview with This Day, published on Sunday, June 25, 2023, saying that speculations on his relationship with Mr Abiodun stemmed from differences in which aspirant they supported for the presidential primary election.

The despiteformer governor of Ogun State alleged that despite efforts by the governor to conceal what would be referred to as an audacious retaliation for derogatory comments President Tinubu made when he claimed credit for his emergence as governor.

It would be recalled that President Tinubu had on June 2, 2022, visited the party’s stakeholders as part of his final push for support to win the APC’s nomination. During the event, he referred to Mr Abiodun, as “eleyi”, a term many described as derogatorily.

President Tinubu also claimed that Governor Abiodun could not have been elected governor without his help, and Abiodun, visibly humiliated by the comments, later tweeted that he holds public office in trust and not as an Emperor, a comment which was seen as a response to President Tinubu.

OGD noted that the relationship between himself and incumbent Governor Abiodun has not been amicable after he supported President Bola Tinubu’s bid for the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the presidential election primaries in 2022 against the governor’s wish.

His words, “For me, it is difficult not to support Asiwaju’s presidency because he is our overall boss. That is different from the position of my governor. But I understand where he was coming from, he was not really one of us at the beginning of the transition in 1998/1999. The contest did not go the way my governor wanted.”

OGD added that Governor Abiodun’s win, which is currently being contested, was narrow because of the many administrative challenges that beset the state under his leadership.

“The people of Ogun state were also complaining. I am in position to know because I have my network across the state. I know a lot of people were not particularly excited about his election. Civil servants have the issue of unpaid allowances. Teachers too have their own issues with him. Pensioners have issues with the governor,” he added.