The political tension in Ogun State escalated significantly on Sunday as the Senator representing Ogun East, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, launched a blistering verbal offensive against Governor Dapo Abiodun, accussing the Governor of sabotaging his constituency projects.
Speaking in Ijebu-Igbo, Ijebu North Local Government Area, during the mid-term community assessment and review tour of the BATOGD Movement, the former governor accused his successor of abandoning inclusive governance in favor of an alleged 3-man closed government that thrives on the victimization of perceived dissenters.
Daniel, who currently chairs the Senate Committee on Navy, argued that the administration has deviated from the global democratic norm where governance is administered for the benefit of all citizens after an election.
Instead, he alleged that the state is being run strictly for a selected few, while traditional rulers, community leaders, and even teachers face threats of sack or demolition notices simply for interacting with those offering constructive criticism.
He described the situation as a manifestation of “dictatorial instincts” where the state’s commonwealth is treated as a personal estate.
The Senator revealed that he had previously attempted to resolve these issues away from the public eye.
As a two-term former governor, Daniel stated he felt a duty to speak truth to power and had offered private counsel to Governor Abiodun on several occasions.
However, he claimed that his efforts were rebuffed, noting that the only reward he received for his private advice was public ostracization and systematic exclusion from party and government activities.
While he had initially chosen to remain silent and focus on his legislative duties in Abuja, Daniel stated that he could no longer hold his peace because the state government had begun sabotaging development projects meant for his constituents.
He specifically cited the rehabilitation of the Itanrin and General Hospital roads projects he facilitated through federal agencies as part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
According to the lawmaker, the State Government has erected “needless impediments” against these projects.
He alleged that a “stop work” order was issued by the Local Government Chairman, reportedly under immense pressure from the state executive, simply because the federal contractors were erroneously labeled as “OGD’s contractors.”
Daniel described this as a deliberate attempt to frustrate any development associated with his name, regardless of the cost to the public.
He issued a stark warning regarding the financial implications of this political feud, pointing out that if the stop work order is not revoked by December 2025, the federal funding allocated for the roads will be lost and returned to the treasury.
He questioned why the government would choose to “fight the people” and create an internal “calibrated annoyance” entirely of its own making.
Daniel expressed concern that the governor’s style is damaging the state’s reputation at the federal level.
He noted that it has become common knowledge among federal contractors in Abuja that accepting projects in Ogun State comes with the risk of arbitrary interference if one does not have a direct line to the governor.
The Senator appealed to traditional rulers and political leaders in Ijebu North to intervene and prevail upon Governor Abiodun to allow the projects to proceed, emphasizing that the role of a National Assembly member is to facilitate development which federal agencies execute, a process that should be commended rather than sabotaged.