Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State have moved early to shape the 2027 political equation, endorsing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term while signalling support for Governor Dapo Abiodun’s anticipated bid for the Senate.
The endorsement emerged from a strategic stakeholders’ meeting held on Wednesday at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, a gathering that brought together key party figures across the state’s political spectrum.
However, the meeting was equally defined by notable absences, as former governors and current senators, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and Senator Ibikunle Amosun, stayed away, a development that immediately sparked quiet political speculation.
Presided over by Governor Abiodun and the Ogun APC Chairman, Chief Yemi Sanusi, the meeting attracted a roll call of party heavyweights, including former Governor Chief Olusegun Osoba, former deputy governors, ministers, lawmakers and senior party leaders.
Among those present were the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani; Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako; Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide; and members of the National Assembly drawn from the three senatorial districts.
Party sources said the gathering was convened to foster unity, review the performance of APC-led governments at the state and federal levels, and align stakeholders ahead of emerging political realignments.
Addressing the meeting, Abiodun mounted a strong defence of President Tinubu’s economic reforms, describing them as tough but inevitable measures that pulled Nigeria back from the brink of economic collapse.
He cited the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of the exchange rate as landmark decisions that restored investor confidence, boosted revenue and stabilised key macroeconomic indicators, including foreign reserves now estimated at about $45 billion.
On the strength of these reforms, Abiodun called for a formal vote of confidence in Tinubu, urging party leaders to back the President for another four-year term beyond 2027 to consolidate ongoing policies through 2031.
The stakeholders unanimously endorsed the call, while also openly expressing support for Abiodun’s projected move to the Senate after the completion of his second term as governor, even though he stopped short of a formal declaration.
Pledging party cohesion, Abiodun assured leaders of a peaceful and orderly transition to his successor in 2027, insisting that unity remained the APC’s strongest political currency.
Former Governor Osoba, in his remarks, praised Tinubu’s courage in taking difficult economic decisions and dismissed fears of a drift toward a one-party state, arguing that recent defections to the APC were driven by confidence in the President’s leadership.
Yet, the absence of Daniel and Amosun hovered over the proceedings, adding an undertone of intrigue to an otherwise united front, as Ogun APC’s early endorsement signals a high-stakes political season ahead of 2027.