Nobody is bigger than state, Ogun tells ex-governor Daniel

By James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta

The Ogun State government has dismissed claims of political persecution by former governor and senator representing Ogun East, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, over demolition threats to his properties in Sagamu, insisting that “nobody is bigger than the state.”

Read Also: Gbenga Daniel raises alarm as Ogun govt threatens demolition of property

Special Adviser to the Governor on Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, said the notices served on Daniel’s Asoludero Court residence, Conference Hotel Limited, and its annexe were part of a routine urban renewal and development audit in Sagamu and Ijebu-Ode Government Reserved Areas, which affects several other property owners.

He noted that instead of politicising the issue, Daniel should follow due process.

“All Otunba Gbenga Daniel needs to do, just like every other person in a similar situation, is to present his planning permit and land title to the relevant government agency for verification within the time specified in the notices, rather than resorting to cheap blackmail,” he said.

He further emphasised the government’s position on the rule of law.

“Nobody is bigger than the State,” Akinmade said, adding that “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 said.

The government’s statement also pointed out that such town planning audits are not new and have been a standard procedure, including during Daniel’s tenure as governor. It concluded by urging Daniel to avoid framing every interaction with government institutions as a personal attack on Governor Abiodun.

Recall that Daniel, in a statement through his media aide, Steve Oliyide, alleged that the Dapo Abiodun-led government was engaging in “political persecution” by threatening to demolish buildings constructed between 2004 and 2015 under a 2022 planning law that did not exist when they were built.

He said agents of the state government pasted “Notices of Contravention” and “Notices to Quit” on the properties on August 8, alongside threats of demolition, in what he described as a breach of due process.

Daniel also cited the September 2023 midnight demolition of DATKEM Plaza in Ijebu Ode, owned by his wife, a case still in court, as evidence of a pattern of intimidation against political opponents.

The statement partly reads: “It is worth noting that this is not an isolated incident. This latest act of persecution follows a similar pattern of illegal demolitions carried out by Governor Abiodun’s administration.”

“We recall with disgust the illegal demolition of DATKEM Plaza Ijebu Ode, a property belonging to the wife of Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Yeye Olufunke Daniel, in the midnight of September, 2023, by thugs believed to be working on the orders of the Governor, as no government agent will be sent on such an assignment at ungodly hours of the night, even on a weekend, on equally flimsy excuses.”

“The matter is currently in court, and the state has already lost several applications at the Ogun State High Court and another at the Court of Appeal in Ibadan, a clear indication that their actions lack legal merit.”

“Governor Dapo Abiodun is taking political vindictiveness to a shameful and dangerous level, without any regard for extant laws or common decency. We call on all well-meaning citizens, human rights organisations, and legal bodies to stand with us in condemning this egregious abuse of power. We will not be silent in the face of this injustice and will use all legal means at our disposal to ensure that Governor Abiodun is held accountable for his lawless actions.”

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