Former Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has yet to officially react to the endorsement of Senator Shuaib Salisu as the All Progressives Congress consensus candidate for the Ogun Central Senatorial District ahead of the 2027 election.
The endorsement was announced on Thursday by Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, during a stakeholders’ meeting of the party held at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta.
The meeting was attended by the state APC Chairman, Yemi Sanusi; Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola; Deputy Governor Noimot Salako-Oyedele; Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Oludaisi Elemide; Secretary to the State Government, Tokunbo Talabi, alongside other party leaders and stakeholders.
Before announcing the endorsement, Abiodun appealed to party members to forgive Salisu’s perceived shortcomings, saying nobody was perfect.
However, four aspirants in the race rejected the endorsement and insisted on a primary election to determine the party’s candidate.
The aspirants are former senators Lanre Tejuoso and Olugbenga Obadara, former Commissioner for Commerce, Trade and Investment Emmanuel Sofela, and businessman Otunba Muraina Banjoko.
Speaking with journalists on Friday, Tejuoso described the endorsement as unacceptable, insisting that party members should be allowed to decide the candidate through a democratic process.
Obadara also faulted the decision, describing it as immoral and contrary to previous discussions among stakeholders.
“It’s not in any way supported by us. It’s against morality and against our discussion at the last meeting.
“We are totally rejecting the decision to endorse Senator Salisu. That’s the decision of the four of us,” he said.
Sofela argued that democracy should allow party members to determine who represents them in the Senate.
“We are practising democracy. As aspirants, we are expressing our desire to serve our people. If the people currently being served in the constituency are saying no, what more evidence do you want?” he said.
Banjoko also aligned himself with the position of the other aspirants, saying a previous meeting on the consensus arrangement ended without any agreement.
“I was in a meeting yesterday night around 1:30am to 2am, and the meeting was inconclusive.
“Our people wondered why they went ahead to endorse someone today and raised his hand,” he said.
Meanwhile, a recent stakeholders’ meeting reportedly held at the residence of former governor and APC chieftain, Chief Olusegun Osoba, over the consensus arrangement was said to have ended in deadlock after aspirants refused to step down.
A source at the meeting claimed Amosun said he had the backing of the Presidency and that other aspirants, including Salisu, had agreed to support him, a claim reportedly rejected by the aspirants.
However, Amosun, in a statement issued through his media office, denied pressuring any aspirant to withdraw from the race.
“Nowhere throughout the meeting did I request anyone to withdraw from the race for me because that would be undemocratic and unacceptable,” he said.
The former governor also maintained that he would not participate in any primary election whose outcome had already been predetermined.
