Abiodun Ogun East Senate screening controversy erupts as lawyers warn APC against screening Governor Dapo Abiodun amid ongoing court case
In a stunning new twist rocking Ogun State politics just as APC screening commences the party has received a formal notice of caution from lawyers urging them to halt any screening of Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun for the Ogun East Senatorial ticket.
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The strongly worded letter dated today and addressed directly to the APC Screening Committee National Chairman and National Secretary comes from MJS Partners on behalf of applicants in a pending Federal High Court suit numbered FHC L CS 291 2026 titled Human Global Resource Initiative and two others versus Independent National Electoral Commission and seven others.
The document warns that Abiodun who is listed as the eighth respondent in the matter faces serious allegations of false declarations in past INEC forms and that screening him could undermine ongoing judicial processes.
According to the letter which references an earlier legal caveat published in national dailies including Tribune The Nation and Punch in March 2026 the suit seeks multiple declarations that Abiodun made false statements on oath regarding his educational background including claims of attending the University of Ife and Kennesaw State University contradictions in primary school details failure to disclose an alleged 1986 indictment and imprisonment and issues around national youth service participation.
The plaintiffs are asking the court for perpetual injunctions restraining the APC and other parties from fielding him as a candidate for any elective office until the case is resolved with the next hearing fixed for July 9 2026.
The timing could not be more dramatic.
This notice arrives on the very day screening begins in Abuja following yesterday deadline for nomination forms.
Earlier whispers about Abiodun submission being incomplete a so called Back to Sender package with questions over a properly deposed affidavit and supporting documents have now been overshadowed by this direct legal intervention.
As the APC screening committee convenes, all eyes are on whether they will proceed with Abiodun file or take the caution seriously.
Meanwhile Otunba Gbenga Daniel the sitting Senator for Ogun East and former governor who picked up his own nomination forms has rejected the earlier consensus arrangement pushed by some Ogun East stakeholders.
Daniel camp maintains he is fully prepared with complete documentation and is ready for whatever the screening process brings setting up what could become a fierce primary contest between the two heavyweights.
This latest development adds fresh fuel to the already heated transition politics in Ogun State.
Governor Abiodun who has publicly backed a zoning deal positioning Senator Solomon YAYI Adeola as the party choice for governor in 2027 now finds his own Senate ambition under intense spotlight from both internal party rivals and this external legal challenge.
Supporters of Abiodun continue to highlight his track record as a calm corporate style leader and point to the strong endorsement he received from some party elders.
On the other side Daniel a veteran politician with deep local roots is standing firm determined to defend his seat and his loyalists view the consensus push as an imposition that should not override open competition.
The circulating claims about form completeness; his CV was missing, and so also his Oath form.
Critics are asking what qualifications did he fill for primary school, secondary school and university?
Did they tally with what he has been claiming over the years and which of the contradictory previous qualifications that he had claimed did he claim now?
And now this formal court caution letter reflect deeper tensions around transparency due process and how powerful figures navigate eligibility rules that apply to everyone.
Party insiders say the screening committee must now weigh the legal warning carefully while the people of Ogun East watch closely.
Many voters want a process that feels fair and produces leaders truly committed to service rather than prolonged power plays.
As the clock ticks, the situation remains fluid.
One thing is clear the coming hours and days will test whether the APC can manage internal unity ahead of the 2027 polls or if these overlapping controversies will reshape the entire race.
This goes far beyond a single set of forms or a screening session.
Also read: Temu endorsement: Dapo Abiodun’s desperation to escape justice after office and other matters
Stay tuned as this breaking development develops.
Mariam Balogun is a contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
