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“We are in a marathon war, and in this particular fight, we will
fight it to its logical conclusion.”

That was the pronouncement made by the Governor of Ogun State
Gbenga Daniel yesterday as he addressed supporters at the inauguration of
campaign committees held at Valley View auditorium in the government house,
Abeokuta.

Two factions headed by Mr. Daniel and former Nigerian president,
Olusegun Obasanjo, held parallel primaries to select the People’s Democratic
Party candidates for the forthcoming general elections in the state. Tunji
Olurin had emerged as the PDP gubernatorial candidate for the Obasanjo faction
while Gboyega Isiaka was elected in Mr. Daniel’s faction. Now both groups are
embattled in a series of legal suits to determine who will ultimately get the
top nominee spot.

“We have started this war since 2006,” the governor told his
supporters, “and I want you to shine your eyes.”

The governor claimed he had done everything possible to appease
the Obasanjo faction of the PDP, “yet the camp had remained difficult”.

“Therefore, at the stage the situation gets now, you cannot be
in the river and complain of cold,” Mr. Daniel said.

He added that those pushing Tunji Olurin to become governor, knew
that he (Olurin) could not win an election even in his Ilaro hometown.

War song

“They even used opposition media to fight us, an indication that
they are working together with [the] opposition party to destroy our party and
later move out,” said the governor.

Continuing the allegations against Mr. Obasanjo’s faction, Mr.
Daniel said that the political war against him started in 2006, with the
stealing of his administration vouchers as a way to implicate him. The governor
recalled that a number of his cabinet members were quizzed by the Economic
Financial Crimes Commision (EFCC), but eventually came out unscathed.

“Those who steal vouchers to nail me, where are they today?” he
said. “We were harassed and intimidated, but God was on our side. I am not
personally surprised with what we are witnessing today. You should not be
shocked because of what we have been facing.”

Insisting that his camp would produce all the candidates to contest the
elections, Mr. Daniel who also sang some Yoruba war songs, assured his
supporters that “by May 29, we will successfully transit to the government of
our choice.”