Demolition:  ‘Nobody is bigger than the state’ – Gov Abiodun tells Gbenga Daniel

Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has rejected accusations of political persecution from former governor and serving senator for Ogun East, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, following threats to demolish some of his properties in Sagamu.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, who made the governor’s position on the issue known, said the demolition notices served on Daniel’s Asoludero Court residence, Conference Hotel Limited, and its annexe were part of a routine urban renewal exercise covering Sagamu and Ijebu-Ode Government Reserved Areas, affecting several other property owners.

“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.

Akinmade stressed the administration’s stance on equality before the law.
“Nobody is bigger than the State,” he stated. “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.”

According to the government, such audits are long-standing procedures, including during Daniel’s own tenure as governor. The statement urged him not to interpret every engagement with government agencies as a personal attack from Governor Dapo Abiodun.

Daniel, however, through his media aide Steve Oliyide, alleged the moves were politically motivated. He claimed the government was attempting to apply a 2022 planning law to buildings constructed between 2004 and 2015, describing the action as a breach of due process.

He alleged that state agents placed “Notices of Contravention” and “Notices to Quit” on his properties on August 8, along with threats of demolition.

“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,” the statement read.

Daniel cited the September 2023 midnight demolition of DATKEM Plaza in Ijebu Ode — owned by his wife — as further evidence of political targeting.

“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.”