Barely five days to the crucial August 16, 2025 bye-election for the Ikenne/Remo North/Sagamu Federal Constituency, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun is facing accusations of political intimidation after allegedly threatening to dethrone traditional rulers who fail to deliver votes for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Multiple palace and political sources told our correspondent that on Friday, August 8, the governor summoned monarchs from the constituency to a closed-door meeting under unusual conditions; they were instructed not to arrive in their personal vehicles but instead transported in government-arranged buses.

What followed, sources say, was a tense and blistering session. Abiodun, described as visibly anxious, allegedly told the royal fathers in clear terms that their thrones would be on the line if the APC suffered defeat at the polls.

Political analysts believe the governor’s hard stance stems from a personal need to redeem his image after suffering a humiliating loss in the constituency during the 2023 governorship election. In that contest, opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), swept the Remo axis, denting his credibility in his own political backyard.

“This bye-election is more than just another vote,” a political insider said. “It’s a battle for DA’s political survival. Losing again in Remo would shatter any claim that he commands any grassroots loyalty in his home base.”

Critics say the move is part of a growing trend of weaponising traditional institutions for partisan gain, a tactic that risks eroding their neutrality and deepening political divisions in local communities.

As of press time, neither the governor nor his spokesperson had responded to calls and messages seeking comment on the allegations.

The August 16 poll, organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), will determine who fills the vacant federal constituency seat made vacant by the demise of Hon. Adewumi Onanuga. But in Remo land, it has already become a referendum on the governor’s clout and political future.