Former Ogun State governor and ex-senator, Ibikunle Amosun, has denied reports that he pressured aspirants to withdraw from the Ogun Central senatorial race ahead of the 2027 general elections.
PrimeTimes Nigeria reports that the denial follows a stakeholders’ meeting of the Ogun Central Senatorial District held in Abeokuta on Thursday, where discussions reportedly centred on adopting a consensus candidate.
Reports from the meeting had claimed that Amosun listed three aspirants as having agreed to step down for him.
The report sparked backlash, with the affected aspirants denying any agreement or discussion to withdraw from the race in favour of the former governor.
Reacting in a statement issued by his media office on Sunday, Amosun described the claims as inaccurate.
The statement, titled “Ogun Central APC Meeting: Setting the Record Straight – Amosun,” said the reports were a “misrepresentation” of what transpired at the meeting.
The former governor maintained that it would be against democratic principles for him to ask any aspirant to step down.
He insisted that the decision to contest or withdraw from any race remains a personal choice for each aspirant.
Amosun emphasised his commitment to democratic values within the All Progressives Congress, stressing that due process must be followed in selecting candidates.
The statement reads, “My attention has been drawn to media reports about a meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun Central Senatorial District held last Thursday, April 23, 2026, at the residence of Chief Olusegun Osoba on the nomination of candidates for the 2027 general election.
“Many of the accounts of the meeting were a complete misrepresentation of the proceedings. The meeting was convened at my instance when there were insinuations about my candidature for the election.
“At the meeting, I recalled that three senatorial aspirants from the district had visited me to seek my support for their candidacy and that each of them volunteered that if I were interested in contesting for the office, they would withdraw their candidacy.
“Nowhere throughout the meeting did I request anyone to withdraw from the race for me because that would be undemocratic and unacceptable.
“I wish to reiterate that I am not only a democrat, I have contested and won election twice to the office of Governor of Ogun State and twice as a Senator of the Federal Republic. What I said at the meeting, which I reiterate, is that I would not be part of a primary election whose result is predetermined.
“I advise the media to report proceedings of meetings correctly by cross-checking accounts given by interested parties.”