Senator Solomon Adeola (APC, Ogun West) has dismissed claims of a political battle between himself and Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, over the upcoming 2024 local government elections.
The senator’s clarification follows an online report by Platform Times alleging a factional clash within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State, suggesting that Senator Adeola’s camp was challenging the governor’s influence ahead of the elections.
In a statement issued by his media adviser, Kayode Odunaro, Senator Adeola addressed the speculation, calling it unfounded and a deliberate attempt to create a false narrative of conflict between him and the governor.
Adeola reaffirmed his loyalty to Governor Abiodun and his leadership in Ogun State’s APC, stating that their relationship has been solid since before the 2023 elections, despite efforts by certain individuals to create division between them.
The senator clarified that he has not made any statements or taken a stance on the upcoming local government elections that contradicts the governor’s or the party’s position.
He added that he had been on vacation outside the country during the initial stages of the election preparations and upon his return would fully support APC candidates to secure victory.
Adeola also addressed the political jockeying by some local government aspirants within the party, who he said might attempt to leverage his and the governor’s popularity for their personal gain.
While recognizing this as part of internal party competition, he emphasized that it should not be misconstrued as a sign of discord between him and Governor Abiodun.
The senator further dismissed speculation that his relationship with the governor was being strained over potential 2027 governorship ambitions.
He noted that neither he nor Governor Abiodun had made any declarations regarding the 2027 gubernatorial race, emphasizing that his current focus remains on fulfilling his mandate for Ogun West while complementing the governor’s efforts in delivering for the APC administration in the state.
Senator Adeola concluded by assuring that those attempting to sow division between him and the governor, as they did before the 2023 elections, would once again fail in their efforts.
“We assure all those plotting or imagining battles and rifts, using all manner of gimmicks, between the governor and the senator, of failure in the days ahead as they failed pre-2023 elections,” the statement read.
For clarity, the statement emphasized, “Ordinarily, this speculative story without any attribution to any known contestants and other protagonists on the subject matter would have required no response and taken as part of the fallouts of the competitive struggle by aspirants seeking advantageous positions.”
It also noted, “Senator Adeola restates his unadulterated commitment and loyalty to the leadership of Prince Abiodun in Ogun State APC and his administration,” underscoring the senator’s continued support despite the ongoing speculation.
