Ogun Government Fires Back at Gbenga Daniel: “Nobody is Bigger Than the State”

The Ogun State Government has firmly rejected claims of political persecution from former Governor and current Senator Otunba Gbenga Daniel, following the issuance of demolition notices on several of his properties. In a strongly worded statement released on Saturday, government officials maintained the action was part of routine urban planning compliance checks.

The controversy erupted after Daniel’s media team accused Governor Dapo Abiodun’s administration of wielding state power vindictively, particularly targeting properties including The Asoludero Court residence and Conference Hotels Limited in Sagamu. The former governor’s camp argued these structures were legally built years before the 2022 urban planning law’s enactment.

Special Adviser on Information and Strategy Kayode Akinmade dismissed these allegations as “blatant distortions of facts,” revealing the notices form part of broader development audits in Sagamu and Ijebu-Ode Government Reserved Areas affecting multiple property owners. “This is standard procedure that even occurred during Daniel’s own administration,” Akinmade noted.

The government challenged Daniel to present his planning permits and land titles for verification rather than “resorting to cheap blackmail.” Akinmade emphasized constitutional principles, stating: “Senator Daniel is distinguished, but not bigger than Ogun State. He should submit to the same laws he once swore to uphold.”

This marks the latest chapter in ongoing tensions between the Abiodun administration and the former governor, following the 2023 demolition of a property belonging to Daniel’s wife in Ijebu-Ode. Officials maintain the current exercise is purely regulatory, urging the senator to follow due process instead of politicizing planning compliance matters.