The crisis within the All Progressives Congress in Ogun State has taken a fresh turn as aggrieved members in Ogun West Senatorial District formally petitioned the party’s national leadership, seeking the disqualification of Jimoh Ojugbele from contesting the 2027 senatorial election.
The petitioners also accused Governor Dapo Abiodun of allegedly backing Ojugbele as his preferred candidate, a move they warned could deepen internal divisions and destabilise the party in the state.
In a series of letters addressed to the APC National Chairman and dated between March and April 2026, the stakeholders urged the party’s National Working Committee to halt what they described as an attempt to foist Ojugbele on party members, particularly in the Awori axis of Ogun West.
One of the petitions, signed by Akeem Adetunji Onatade, described the move as a violation of party principles and disciplinary expectations.
The letter read, “Our protest is not borne out of personal hostility, but out of sincere commitment to the protection of party discipline, internal democracy, loyalty, and respect for party supremacy.”
The stakeholders based their demand for disqualification on Ojugbele’s past legal dispute with the party following the 2022 House of Representatives primary in Ado-Odo/Ota Federal Constituency.
According to them, Ojugbele dragged the party and its eventual candidate, Tunji Akinosi, to court and pursued the case up to the Supreme Court, an action they said contravened the APC’s oath of allegiance.
Quoting the party’s guidelines, the petitioners noted, “Item 7 of the APC Oath of Allegiance states that members must not file any action in a court of law against the party… without first exhausting all avenues for redress provided.”
They added, “It is therefore disturbing that an individual who openly subjected the party to prolonged legal confrontation now seeks to represent the same party as its senatorial flag bearer.”
In separate petitions, Tajudeen Laisi Ajose and Saheed Oluwasegun Ajose warned that allowing Ojugbele to contest would erode party discipline and send a wrong signal to loyal members.
“It sends the wrong signal for someone who openly challenged the party in court for such a long period to now seek the Ogun West Senatorial ticket under the same platform,” one of the letters stated.
The stakeholders further cautioned that endorsing Ojugbele could create a “dangerous precedent” where aspirants undermine the party through litigation and later seek political elevation.
They urged the APC leadership, Governor Abiodun, and other party stakeholders to prioritise unity and internal cohesion, stressing that the integrity of the party must not be sacrificed.
“The APC must remain an institution governed by rules, consistency, and collective responsibility. The integrity of the party cannot be sacrificed on the altar of personal ambition,” the petitioners said.
The development comes amid growing permutations ahead of the 2027 general elections, with political observers warning that the Ogun APC may face deeper internal crisis if the controversy surrounding the Ogun West senatorial ticket is not urgently addressed.
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