Former Ogun State Governor and serving Senator for Ogun East, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, has accused Governor Dapo Abiodun of deliberately obstructing federal intervention projects meant for communities in the state.
Daniel levelled the allegation on Sunday during the Midterm Community Assessment and Review Tour of the BATOGD Movement held in Ijebu Igbo, Ijebu North Local Government Area.
Addressing traditional rulers, political leaders and residents, the senator said he had been forced to speak publicly after what he described as repeated interference by the state government in federal projects he facilitated.
According to him, “silence is no longer an option”.
Projects Allegedly Targeted
Daniel cited the ongoing rehabilitation of Itanrin Road and General Hospital Road in Ijebu North as the latest examples of state-level obstruction. He stated that both projects are being handled by federal agencies under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He alleged that the state government wrongly treats contractors working on the projects as his personal contractors, insisting that such assumptions are false.
“They erroneously believe the federal contractors are ‘OGD’s contractors,’ and in line with their agenda of removing anything associated with me, the project must be frustrated,” he said.
Daniel added that the Ijebu North Local Government Chairman had issued a stop-work order on both sites.
“We understand he is under immense pressure. But the question is: why choose to fight the people? Why sabotage their roads?” he asked.
Warning of Consequences
The senator warned that the communities risk losing federal funding if the stop-work order is not reversed.
“If by December 2025 this stop-work order is not revoked, the federal funding for these roads will be lost. It will be returned to the treasury. How then can we, in good conscience, continue to earmark projects for Ijebu North?” he said.
He appealed to traditional and community leaders to intervene, urging them to “talk to the Governor on behalf of our people”.
Political Tension Ahead of 2027
Sunday’s remarks come two months after the Ogun State Government halted work on another road project facilitated by Daniel in Sagamu, citing lack of state approval. Daniel’s camp maintains the governor is intentionally frustrating his efforts.
Both men have also been locked in an internal conflict over the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for Ogun East ahead of the 2027 elections.
Daniel claimed he had attempted private dialogue with the governor but was “publicly ostracised” instead.
“As a former Governor of this state for eight years, and as your Senator, I have a duty to speak truth to power,” he said. “The reward for my private counsel was public ostracisation and removal from party and government activities.”
He praised the APC National Working Committee and President Tinubu for intervening in the party crisis in the state, describing their actions as “principled and timely”.
He dismissed a reported suspension issued by individuals he referred to as “two or three aides of the Governor”, stating that neither he nor the BATOGD Movement had engaged in anti-party activities.
“Our record is clean, and our loyalty to the President and the party is unwavering,” he insisted.
Education Loan Fund Disbursement
Also speaking at the event, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), Akintunde Sawyerr, revealed that over ₦700 million had been disbursed to tertiary institutions in Ogun East under the student loan scheme.
Sawyerr encouraged more students to apply, saying, “the fund is real; it’s not audio money”.
Awaiting Government Response
Efforts to obtain a response from Governor Abiodun’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, were unsuccessful as he had yet to comment on the allegations at the time of filing the report.
