Former Ogun State governor and Atiku's campaign manager Gbenga Daniels quits partisan politics

FORMER Ogun State governor Otunba Gbenga Daniels has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and quit partisan politics to focus on charitable events and good causes following the party's recent loss in the presidential election.

In the run-up to the elections, Otunba Daniels was appointed as the director-general of the Atiku campaign organisation, charged with getting the PDP's presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar elected. However, the PDP failed to win the elections, with President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC), securing a second term in office.

Also, the APC secured a majority of seats in the senate and House of Representatives and got more state governors elected than the PDP. In what appears to be a sign of exasperation, Otunba Daniels had opted to throw in the towel and focus on voluntary schemes, including several foundations and non-governmental organisations he set up.

In his letter to the PDP national chairman Uche Secondus, Otunba Daniel said he decided to leave the scene to rejuvenate his charity the Gateway Front Foundation (GFF) which will continue to address the needs of people in need and assist in the areas of some of their health challenges. He added that he also plans on reviving the non-partisan Political Leadership Academy, which he established some years ago as a platform for  political education to Nigeria's citizens.

Otunba Daniels's letter read: "This is to inform you of my intention to resign from active and partisan politics with effect from today, the 14th day of March, 2019. My decision in this regard is entirely personal to me and having served in various capacities, including as governor of Ogun State, I have resolved to immerse myself in some other vocations and take on some new challenges.

"I joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State on Sunday, the 9th of September, 2001 at an event which was described as one of the most ceremonial political rallies in our recent political history in the south western part of Nigeria. We rose from that rally to create a highly robust and effective political campaign machinery which resulted in an electoral victory for the PDP in Ogun State in 2003 and this movement and vibration affected the politics of the region positively with a victory in five states of the southwest."

He also raised concerns about the fate of the party in his native Ogun State  where it was confronted with a very difficult situation in matter of choice. Whereas the national leadership of the PDP one candidate for the 2019 election but by court pronouncements another candidate and in compliance with those court orders, was recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec).

In Ogun State, the candidate recognised by Inec was not acceptable to the national leadership of the party. Subsequently, Otunba Daniels ended up supporting Dapo Abiodun of the All Progressives Congress, who went on to be elected governor.