Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has responded to accusations by Senator Gbenga Daniel (Ogun East), asserting that the former governor is not above the law and must comply with regulations like every other citizen of the state.
Daniel had earlier alleged political persecution, claiming that the Abiodun-led government had issued demolition notices targeting his properties in the Sagamu Government Reserved Area (GRA), including his private residence, The Asoludero Court and his hospitality businesses, Conference Hotels and its annex.
Reacting through his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, Governor Abiodun denied the accusations, describing them as false and politically motivated.
He said Daniel should not misconstrue lawful government action as a vendetta.
“Nobody is bigger than the State. Senator Gbenga Daniel is distinguished no doubt, but he is not bigger than Ogun State. He should submit himself unreservedly to the same laws he once swore twice to uphold. He should refrain from elevating every issue of his contact with government institutions to a personal vendetta by Governor Abiodun, who obviously holds him in high esteem.”
The governor maintained that the properties were simply part of a routine urban development audit within the Sagamu GRA, and not an isolated targeting of the senator.
“Since his referenced buildings must have conformed with government regulations, there should not be any problem.”
“The distinguished Senator knows the law and has presumably abided by it, so why is he crying foul instead of simply complying with lawful directive, supremely confident in the knowledge that he has done no wrong, and knowing the rights afforded him by the Constitution and the courts?”
Akinmade further criticised the senator for politicising a standard planning procedure, saying:
“Of course, in what has become a familiar pattern, Senator Daniel and his Media Office have been ascribing political motives to a routine procedure, suggesting that they have something to hide and do not mind using underhand tactics to achieve their sinister objectives.”
He dismissed the former governor’s statement as a “blatant distortion of facts”, noting that the government’s redevelopment efforts were part of a broader urban renewal project across the state, including towns such as Ibara, Sagamu, and Ijebu-Ode.
“The Ogun State Government is not engaged in any untoward move against Otunba Gbenga Daniel in anyway.”
He explained that as part of the renewal process, a development audit was underway to assess all structures within GRAs to ensure compliance with planning laws.
“This initiative involves the auditing of existing developments within these areas in order to determine the permit status of all types of developments, including houses, schools, hospitals and other commercial buildings.”
“Otunba Gbenga Daniel’s building happens to be within the Sagamu GRA and among those that were served notices as required under the Town Planning Law and Regulation of Ogun State. Many other structures were also similarly served.”
According to him, the process is not new, nor discriminatory.
“This process is not new. It had been in existence and operated even during his tenure as Governor of the State. The GRA is a government-designed and allocated estate and it is subject to regulatory and oversight functions of government in perpetuity.”
He stressed that what was required from Daniel was simple compliance:
“All Otunba Gbenga Daniel needs to do, like every other person’s in similar situation that have been served with such notices in that neighbourhood, is to present his planning permit and land title to the relevant government Agency office for verification within the time specified in the notices rather than resorting to cheap blackmail. There are no exemptions under the law except as permitted by that Law.”
Akinmade accused the senator of rushing to the media without doing due diligence:
“Did the distinguished senator not conduct a check around the neighbourhood before hastily rushing to the media to demonise Governor Dapo Abiodun and his administration, as usual? The statement in question jumped the gun by saying that the Government is focusing on Senator Daniel. That is a barefaced lie.”
“It is the duty of the Government to carry out audits and for someone who has been in office as Governor and who is now a Senator to be crying wolf is highly unfortunate.”
“It seems that Senator Gbenga Daniel and his crew will do anything they can to drag the name of Governor Dapo Abiodun into every issue imaginable just to score cheap political points.”
He concluded by reaffirming the governor’s position:
“This is not a hallmark of statesmanship, a topic that the distinguished senator likes to talk about with flourish; it is a dark tactic.”
“Nobody is bigger than the State. Senator Gbenga Daniel is distinguished no doubt, but he is not bigger than Ogun State. He should submit himself unreservedly to the same laws he once swore twice to uphold.”
“He should refrain from elevating every issue of his contact with government institutions to a personal vendetta by Governor Abiodun, who obviously holds him in high esteem.”
“Since his referenced buildings must have conformed with government regulations, there should not be any problem. The distinguished Senator knows the law and has presumably abided by it, so why is he crying foul instead of simply complying with lawful directive, supremely confident in the knowledge that he has done no wrong, and knowing the rights afforded him by the Constitution and the courts?”
“No one should assign impure motives to a routine procedure. If anyone is after Senator Gbenga Daniel, it is certainly not the Governor of Ogun State.”
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