By Peter Omopo
The Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District, Gbenga Daniel, has challenged Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, to a live television debate over issues surrounding the 2027 Ogun East Senate race.
Daniel threw the challenge during an interview on TVC’s “Beyond The Headlines” on Thursday, stating that any refusal by the governor to honour the invitation would be seen as an admission of defeat.
The former Ogun State governor urged the programme’s host to arrange a joint appearance involving both political figures without delay.
According to him, the debate would provide an opportunity for both sides to openly address the issues and growing political tension surrounding the senatorial contest.
Daniel said, “This is an open invitation. And between you and I, if you don’t do that, my assumption is that he ran away. It’s an open challenge.”
He added, “You will have done this programme disservice if you don’t pair us. And let’s do it quickly.”
The programme host confirmed that an invitation would be extended to Governor Abiodun, noting that a seat had been reserved for him and that Daniel would return for the proposed encounter.
The challenge comes amid increasing political tension between the two All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders over the Ogun East Senatorial seat ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In April 2026, APC stakeholders in the district reportedly endorsed Governor Abiodun as the consensus candidate for the seat, a decision Daniel rejected, insisting on open primaries and alleging manipulation in the process.
During the interview, Daniel also warned the governor against what he described as crossing political boundaries, while reminding him that his tenure in office would soon come to an end.
He claimed that certain political decisions and alliances surrounding the administration could negatively affect the governor’s legacy.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Ogun State Government nor Governor Abiodun’s media office had issued an official response to the challenge.
Governor Abiodun is currently serving his second and final term in office and is constitutionally ineligible to seek re-election in 2027.
The Ogun East Senate seat has, however, emerged as a key focus of political discussions ahead of the next general elections, with Daniel portraying the contest as a betrayal by a political ally he once supported into office.
