Ogun APC senatorial aspirants reject Salisu’s endorsement, demand primary

Four aspirants contesting for the Ogun Central Senatorial ticket on the platform of the All Progressives Congress have rejected the endorsement of Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu as the party’s consensus candidate for the 2027 election, insisting on a primary election.

Dapo Abiodun had on Thursday announced Salisu as the consensus candidate during a stakeholders’ meeting of the party in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

The meeting, held at the MKO Abiola Sports Arena, was attended by party 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; and other party leaders and stakeholders.

Before announcing the endorsement, Abiodun appealed to party members to forgive the senator’s perceived shortcomings, stressing that “nobody is perfect.”

However, four aspirants in the race — former senators Lanre Tejuoso and Olugbenga Obadara, former Commissioner for Commerce, Trade and Investment Emmanuel Sofela, and businessman Otunba Muraina Banjoko — rejected the endorsement.

Speaking to newsmen on Friday, Tejuoso, who represented Ogun Central in the Senate between 2015 and 2019, described the move as unacceptable, insisting that party members should decide the candidate through a primary.

Obadara, who represented the district from 2011 to 2015, described the endorsement as immoral.

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 also faulted the endorsement, saying democracy should allow party members to determine who represents them.

“We are practising democracy. As aspirants, we are expressing our desire to serve our people. If the people who are currently being served in the constituency, the preponderance of them, are saying no, what more evidence do you want?

If four people who are aspirants and the preponderance of the people of Ogun Central are saying we don’t want somebody who’s representing us to go back and represent us, what more evidence is needed?” he stated.

Banjoko aligned himself with the position of the other aspirants, saying a previous meeting on consensus ended without any agreement.

“I was in a meeting yesterday night around 1:30 to 2 o’clock, and the meeting was inconclusive.

Our people wondered why they went ahead to endorse someone today and raised his hand.”

Former Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun, who is also reportedly interested in the seat, has yet to officially react to Salisu’s endorsement.

Meanwhile, a recent stakeholders’ meeting reportedly convened at the residence of former governor and APC chieftain Olusegun Osoba over consensus arrangements allegedly 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, in a statement issued by his media office, Amosun 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 said he would not participate in any primary election whose outcome had already been predetermined.