Ogun APC caucus meeting: Party discipline must not be mistaken for victimisation, Aduwo cautions Gbenga Daniel 

The President of the Centre for Convention on Democratic Integrity (CCDI), Olufemi Aduwo, has dismissed claims suggesting exclusion or persecution within the Ogun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing such narratives as misleading and unconvincing.

Aduwo said the allegations reflect a selective interpretation of events and ignore the practical realities of party administration. He argued that the controversy involving Gbenga Daniel and the APC caucus meeting in Ijebu-Ode has been exaggerated, maintaining that the incident was merely the enforcement of standard accreditation procedures rather than any political conspiracy.

“No serious political organisation operates without rules governing access to its internal meetings. Accreditation is essential to order, security and institutional credibility. To portray compliance with such procedures as victimisation is a misrepresentation of their purpose,” he said.

He noted that internal competition and disagreements within the APC are natural features of democratic politics and should not be mistaken for institutional failure.

Referencing the 2023 electoral cycle, Aduwo observed that claims surrounding Daniel’s political alignment during the governorship election may have shaped internal perceptions, irrespective of their accuracy. He, however, stressed that the party remained united and electorally successful.

“It is on record that Senator Daniel’s emergence as a senatorial candidate in 2023 resulted from internal party arrangements, including the decision of a sitting senator to step aside. This highlights the supremacy of collective decision-making over individual entitlement,” he added.

Aduwo emphasised that caucus meetings are structured forums governed by established rules, noting that framing procedural enforcement as exclusion is disingenuous.

On leadership in the state, he commended Governor Dapo Abiodun for sustaining party cohesion amid internal tensions through what he described as a balanced approach combining firmness and restraint.

He further advised that Senator Daniel should adopt a reflective stance aligned with elder statesmanship, pointing out that figures such as Olusegun Osoba and Ibikunle Amosun have transitioned into advisory roles where influence is exercised through counsel rather than active electoral participation.