A political support group backing Governor Dapo Abiodun’s Ogun East Senatorial ambition has defended the governor against criticisms over his alleged lack of ranking status in the Senate, insisting that the National Assembly is not a place for “bench warmers.”
The group, Sustainability Of Ogun State And Dapo Abiodun Legacy Beyond 2027, made this known in a statement signed by its Convener, Dr Arabambi Abayomi, on Sunday.
The group dismissed claims that Ogun East required only a ranking senator to attract development, arguing that performance and delivery should be the real parameters for assessing lawmakers.
According to the statement, some politicians had continued to promote the narrative that only lawmakers with long years in the Senate could effectively represent the district.
The group, however, described such claims as misleading, challenging serving and former lawmakers from the district to provide evidence of projects executed with constituency allocations over the years.
The statement read, “They say Ogun East needs a senator who has stayed long enough to become ranking. They talk as if sitting for years is the same as building for years.
“Over all these years, with all these constituency allocations that have passed through their hands, what exactly do they have to show for it? Let them stand before the people of Ogun East and name their projects.”
The group argued that several first-term senators across the country had performed beyond expectations without waiting to attain ranking status in the Senate.
Citing Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong of Cross River South as an example, the group said the lawmaker had sponsored bills, installed solar streetlights, facilitated road projects and implemented empowerment programmes within three years in office.
“They did not sit around waiting for ranking to begin working. They understood that the people sent them to deliver, not to count years,” the statement added.
The group also defended Abiodun’s political experience, insisting that the governor already possessed the network, goodwill and leadership exposure required to function effectively in the National Assembly.
According to the statement, “A two-term governor is not a learner. He has managed billions, built infrastructure and chaired the Nigeria Governors’ Forum. The Senate is not meant for bench warmers.”
The group further dismissed reports alleging that Abiodun failed to submit some nomination documents for the senatorial race, describing the claims as premature and politically motivated.
It maintained that the nomination process was still ongoing and no official query or disqualification notice had been issued against the governor by relevant authorities.
The statement added, “The people of Ogun State are not moved by phantom documents or empty propaganda. They want to see what has been delivered, not how long someone has occupied a seat.”
