Dare Babalola
The Ogun State Government and a former governor of the state, Otunba Gbenga Daniels have clashed over the demolition of his (Daniel’s) Sagamu private residence, The Asoludero Court, Conference Hotels Limited as well as the hotel annexe in Sagamu.
Daniel, who is presently the senator representing Ogun East had earlier accused Governor Dapo Abiodun of a political witch hunt, claiming that the governor was using the Ogun State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law No. 61 of 2022 to demolish his buildings, which he said were legally constructed before the law came into existence.
In a statement signed by his media aide, Steve Oliyide, on Saturday, the lawmaker said that the order of the governor was conveyed in notices of contravention, quit and threat of demolition within the next three days which was pasted on the properties on Friday, August 8 at about 4 pm.
“This is not a legal process; it is a thuggish tactic designed to intimidate and inflict damage,” Daniel said.
Reacting to the allegation, the Ogun State Government advised the Senator to stop crying foul and simply comply with lawful directives.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, in a statement on Saturday said that the former governor is not above the law.
He described the move of Daniel as a “cheap blackmail”, stating that the senator failed to present his planning permit and land title to the relevant government agency for verification within the time specified in the notices he was served earlier.
The statement read, “Our attention has been drawn to a press statement issued by the Media Office of the Senator representing Ogun East and a former Governor of Ogun State, His Excellency, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, on Saturday, August 9 and titled ‘Political Persecution as Governor Abiodun Issues Quit, Demolition Notices on Daniel’s Properties in Ogun State’.
“The statement written in extremely bad taste and with intent to cause disaffection and foment chaos in the state alleges that Governor Dapo Abiodun posted Notices of Contravention, Quit and threats of demolition on the Asoludero Court Sagamu private residence of Gbenga Daniel, the Conference Hotels Limited, Sagamu and the hotel annex of the former Governor of Ogun State, with intent to illegally demolish those properties.
“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.
“Contrary to the blatant distortion of facts and egregious purveyors of falsehood being propagated by the statement in question, the Ogun State Government is not engaged in any untoward move against Otunba Gbenga Daniel in anyway.
“The fact of the matter, quite simply, is that in his holistic approach to development efforts across the length and breadth of Ogun State, His Excellency, Governor Dapo Abiodun, has embarked not only on building new communities as exemplified by the affordable housing estates and the yellow roof revolution but also on the redevelopment of Ogun State’s towns and cities through urban renewal. This, he started with Ibara GRA in Abeokuta, the state capital, and is being extended to Sagamu and Ijebu-Ode GRAs.
“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.
“This is a statutory and due process requirement which will provide information for any government intervention. And this informed the development audit exercise currently being carried out simultaneously both in Ijebu-Ode and Sagamu GRAs.
“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.
“This process is not new. It had been in existence and operated even during his tenure as Governor of the State. 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.
“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.
“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?” the statement added.
