Gbenga Daniel, the former governor of Ogun State, has suggested that he may run for Senate in 2023.
Daniel had joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) in February and was welcomed at his Sagamu home by five APC governors.
In March, he was introduced to President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential residence in Abuja, with Dimeji Bankole, another defector and former Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Daniel, fondly known as OGD by his political supporters, served as the Director General of Atiku Abubakar’s presidential campaign in 2019.
Atiku ran on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform.
There were rumors shortly after OGD joined the APC that he will run for the Ogun East Senatorial seat in 2023.
He verified this to a group of people in Sagamu on Friday.
He said he was pressured to run for “national positions in 2023.”
The former governor, who is now the Chancellor of the Political Leadership Training Institute (POLA), lectured on the topic of “Understanding Democracy, Quality Representation, and Political Management” during POLA’s Continuous Political Education Program.
Shortly after leaving government in 2011, he founded POLA, a leadership and good governance training institute for youth and rising leaders.
Daniel lamented the lack of representation in the National Assembly, particularly from the South West, throughout his speech.
He claimed that he had seen news articles and watched videos encouraging him to run for national office in 2023.
He said that the gathering was not intended to respond to the uproar, but he agreed with the reasons cited by his followers.
“I have read the news and seen videos from many groups and individuals calling on me to run for several National posts in 2023; while now is not the time nor the occasion to respond to such clamor, I agree with the majority of their reasons,” Daniel stated.
“The view that only those with the necessary capacity should be permitted to establish laws and sanction policies that affect individuals’ lives cannot be overstated, not only in Ogun State, but throughout the country.
“The National Assembly plays a vital role in our democracy and requires the best of vibrant intellectuals our nation has to offer.
“Laws made must be in tandem with the goals to create a better society for the people, one not just rooted in the ideals of good governance, but forged with the mindset of the advancement of the present inventions and future innovations.”
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