The Executive Committee of Ward 4, Sagamu Local Government Area of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ogun State, has insisted that the suspension of Senator Gbenga Daniel, representing Ogun East Senatorial District, remains valid and in force.

In a statement jointly signed on Wednesday by the Ward Chairman, Hon. Adebayo Ismail, and Secretary, Hon. Durojaiye Oluwole, the committee maintained that, according to the APC Constitution, the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) lacks the authority to review, nullify, or reverse the disciplinary action earlier taken against the senator by the appropriate organs of the party in the state.

The ward leadership dismissed a press release issued by MJS Partners on behalf of Senator Daniel concerning a letter from the APC National Secretariat dated November 17, 2025, describing its claims as misleading.

According to the statement, although the ward ordinarily avoids engaging non-members publicly on internal party matters, it deemed it necessary to clarify the issues due to the misinformation circulating in the media.

The committee explained that Senator Daniel’s suspension originated from a formal communication from the Ward Executive to the Ogun State Executive Committee, outlining allegations of anti-party activities. It added that the senator was given opportunities to appear and defend himself but failed to honour the invitations.

The statement further stressed that, contrary to the position attributed to the APC National Secretary, Sen. Surajudeen Bashiru, the initiation of disciplinary action against any party member is explicitly vested in the “Executive Committee concerned,” as stated in the APC Constitution. This, it said, could be at the ward, local government, state, zonal, or national level, depending on the nature of the allegations.

While acknowledging that Article 21(5)(vii) empowers the NWC to discipline members, the ward clarified that such authority does not override or invalidate the disciplinary powers of executive committees at other levels, nor does it subject their decisions to NWC review. It noted that decisions such as suspensions are only subject to appeal as provided in Article 21(4), not to directives from the NWC.

The statement described the directive from the APC National Secretary as “misplaced and without foundation in the party’s constitution,” reiterating that Senator Daniel’s suspension remains valid and subsisting.

Though the senator has not been expelled, the ward emphasized that his suspension — which has not been challenged through constitutional channels — temporarily strips him of all rights, privileges, and obligations within the party.

The Ward Executive alleged that Senator Daniel’s actions during the last general elections amounted to open defiance of the party’s interests in Ogun State, including alleged attempts to frustrate APC candidates during the Election Petitions Tribunal proceedings. These actions, it said, formed the basis of the suspension.

“We therefore reaffirm that the suspension of Senator Otunba Olugbenga Daniel remains in full effect,” the statement concluded.

Ward 4 leadership added that it remained committed to upholding discipline, fairness, and due process within the APC.