Tension rose in Ijebu-Ode on Wednesday after heavily armed police officers barricaded the Obanta Club, the proposed venue for a BATOGD Community Assessment and Review rally associated with former Ogun State governor, Gbenga Daniel.
Security operatives reportedly moved into the area early in the morning, blocking major access routes and cordoning off locations around the former governor’s residence. Eyewitnesses described a heavy security presence, with patrol vehicles and armed personnel dispersing supporters who had begun to gather for the event.
The development comes just days after Senator Daniel was allegedly prevented from attending a stakeholders’ meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the same town—an incident that has further exposed divisions within the party.
The BATOGD rally is part of an ongoing grassroots outreach initiative across Ogun East Senatorial District, where seven out of nine local government areas have already been visited since the programme began last year. Wednesday’s disruption, however, stalled what supporters consider a key mobilisation effort ahead of the 2027 elections.
Sources claim the police action may be linked to the ongoing political rivalry between Senator Daniel and Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, particularly over influence within the party and control of the Ogun East senatorial structure.
The rift between both political figures has increasingly played out in public, raising concerns about a possible split within the APC in Ogun State.
While supporters of the former governor have criticised the police deployment as an attempt to suppress political activities, neither the state government nor the police has issued an official statement on the situation.
Observers warn that the incident marks a troubling shift from internal party disagreements to actions that could undermine political engagement, as tensions continue to build ahead of the next election cycle.
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