There was heightened tension in Ijebu-Ode on Wednesday as heavily armed police operatives barricaded Obanta Club and mounted a security cordon around the residence of former Ogun State governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, effectively disrupting a planned BATOGD Community Assessment and Review rally.
Eyewitnesses said security personnel took over strategic locations in the early hours of the day, restricting access roads leading to the popular Obanta Club venue and preventing supporters from gathering. The presence of patrol vans and armed officers created an atmosphere of apprehension, with many residents and political supporters forced to turn back.
The rally, convened under the BATOGD political platform, was expected to draw grassroots supporters from across Ogun East Senatorial District as part of ongoing engagements ahead of the 2027 political cycle. However, the sudden deployment of security operatives stalled the exercise, raising fresh concerns over political intolerance within the ruling All Progressives Congress in Ogun State.
Sources close to the development alleged that the action was carried out on the orders of Governor Dapo Abiodun, amid a deepening rift with Daniel over the contestation for the Ogun East senatorial ticket. The rivalry between the two political heavyweights has intensified in recent weeks, with both camps struggling for control of party structures in the district.
Only days ago, Daniel was reportedly denied access to a stakeholders’ meeting of the APC in Ijebu-Ode, a development that sparked outrage among his loyalists and further exposed cracks within the party. Political observers say Wednesday’s police action represents a dangerous escalation, moving the dispute from internal party disagreements to what some now describe as a broader suppression of political mobilisation.
While there has been no official statement from the Ogun State Government or the police authorities as at the time of filing this report, supporters of the former governor have condemned the development, describing it as an abuse of state power and a deliberate attempt to frustrate legitimate political engagement.
As tensions continue to rise, residents and party faithful in Ogun East are watching closely, with many warning that the lingering crisis could have far-reaching implications for the unity and electoral fortunes of the APC in the state.
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