The Ogun State Government has denied claims by Senator Gbenga Daniel that recent quit and demolition notices served on some of his properties were politically motivated.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade on Saturday.
According to the statement, the government described the senator’s allegations as a barefaced lie insisting that the notices were part of a routine town planning exercise.
“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 distortions 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 any way.”
The state said the notices were served on many buildings in Sagamu Government Reserved Area (GRA), where Daniel’s property is located, as part of a development audit in line with the Ogun State Town Planning Law.
“This initiative involves the auditing of existing developments… including houses, schools, hospitals and other commercial buildings. This is a statutory and due process requirement,” the statement said.
It added that the exercise is not new and was even carried out during Daniel’s tenure as governor.
The government said the process has been in place and was even used when Gbenga Daniel was governor.
It explained that the GRA is a government-planned estate that will always be under state regulation.
According to the statement, all Daniel needs to do just like anyone else who has received such notices in the area is to take his planning permit and land title to the relevant agency for verification within the time given, instead of making it a political issue.
The government added that the law applies to everyone, with no special exemptions.
The government questioned why Senator Gbenga Daniel didn’t verify facts before going to the media to accuse Governor Abiodun.
It said claims that the government is targeting him are false, stressing that audits are a normal duty.
” it is disappointing for a former governor and current senator to make such allegations just to score political points, calling the move far from true statesmanship.
“Nobody is above the law. Senator Gbenga Daniel is respected, but he is not bigger than Ogun State. He should follow the same laws he once swore to uphold and stop turning every interaction with government agencies into a personal attack on Governor Abiodun, who holds him in high regard.
“If his buildings meet all regulations, there is nothing to fear, he only needs to comply with the directive. No one should see a routine process as a personal vendetta, and it is certainly not coming from the Governor,” the statement added.
