Former governor cites Dangote Refinery loss, infrastructure decay, weak support for federal projects and silence on Ijebu State agitation
Former Ogun State Governor and Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, on Tuesday intensified political pressure on Governor Dapo Abiodun ahead of the 2027 Ogun East Senate race, accusing the governor of failing to deliver meaningful development across Ijebuland despite increased federal allocations to Ogun State.
Daniel also declared that he remains politically positioned to defeat Governor Abiodun in the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary election if the contest is conducted fairly and transparently.
The former governor spoke during the Bola Ahmed Tinubu/Otunba Gbenga Daniel Midterm Assessment and Empowerment Tour held at Obalofin Court, his residence in Ijebu Ode, where party members and supporters gathered for the political engagement.
At the event, the Director General of the BATOGD Campaign Organisation, retired General Okunowo, also delivered a strongly worded address questioning Governor Abiodun’s political legacy, party leadership style, and relationship with grassroots structures in Ogun East.
However, it was Daniel’s direct criticism of the governor’s stewardship in Ijebuland that dominated the gathering.
According to the senator, Ogun East Senatorial District, which comprises six local government areas, has witnessed insufficient infrastructural and economic transformation under the current administration despite what he described as unprecedented financial inflows into Ogun State following fuel subsidy removal.
“We need to thank President Bola Tinubu for increasing the amount of federal allocation going to the state by four times,” Daniel said.
“For our eight years in government, we had access to about N330 billion, but today the state operates a budget of over N1.6 trillion.
What we received in eight years is what the state now receives within a few months, yet there is little to show for it in Ijebuland.”
Daniel argued that Governor Abiodun’s decision to seek a Senate seat after completing his tenure as governor makes public scrutiny of his record both legitimate and necessary.
“Since the governor has decided to go to the Senate after eight years in office, he has the constitutional right to contest, but we also have the responsibility to ask questions,” he stated.
The former governor further alleged that Governor Abiodun consistently failed to support several federal government projects he facilitated for Ogun East Senatorial District.
Daniel cited the naval base project in Abigi, Ogun Waterside Local Government Area, explaining that the initiative encountered serious obstacles before eventually taking off.
“When I became Chairman of the Senate Committee on Navy, we facilitated the naval base project because Ogun State deserved it,” he said.
“The project is ongoing today, but we went through serious difficulties before it could commence.”
He also referenced the Federal Medical Centre project in Ijebu Ode, maintaining that the project would have progressed more rapidly if it had received stronger collaboration from the state government.
“In Ijebu Ode today, we still do not have a standard hospital. That was why I facilitated the establishment of a Federal Medical Centre, but the support expected from the state government was not there,” Daniel alleged.
The senator equally revisited the controversial relocation of the Dangote Refinery project from Ogun State to Lagos, accusing Governor Abiodun of playing a major role in the loss of what he described as a historic economic opportunity for Ijebuland.
According to him, significant groundwork had already been completed on the refinery project before his administration left office in 2011.
“By the time we left office, substantial work had already been done on the Dangote Refinery project that was originally planned for Ogun Waterside,” Daniel said.
“After reconciling with Senator Ibikunle Amosun, he told me to ask our current governor what happened because he represented the government during the negotiations.”
Daniel said the people of Ijebuland deserve explanations regarding how such a major investment eventually left Ogun State for Lagos.
The former governor also accused Governor Abiodun of failing to support the agitation for the creation of Ijebu State, describing the governor’s alleged silence on the issue as disappointing to many people in Ogun East.
He further alleged that critical institutions established during his administration, including the Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic in Ijebu Igbo and the Ijebu Ode International Stadium, have suffered infrastructural decay under the present administration despite improved government revenues.
Daniel insisted that the growing dissatisfaction within Ogun East should not be ignored and maintained that he remains confident of victory in any transparent APC primary contest.
“I am aware of the enormous powers of incumbency, but if there is a free and fair primary election, I will defeat the governor overwhelmingly,” he declared.
“You can see the turnout here and hear what people are saying publicly. That tells you many people believe these concerns are genuine.”
Earlier in his remarks, the Director General of the BATOGD Campaign Organisation, retired General Okunowo, questioned Governor Abiodun’s claim to party unity and grassroots trust, arguing that many APC loyalists in Ogun East remain dissatisfied with the administration’s political handling of the region.
Okunowo asked whether the governor could convincingly campaign on unity after what he described as years of internal division within Ogun APC.
He also questioned whether the people of Ijebuland should easily overlook what he described as unresolved concerns surrounding political trust, infrastructure, and relationships with traditional institutions.
According to him, many citizens increasingly view the current administration as distant from grassroots realities and overly influenced by elite political interests.
“For many citizens, Dapo Abiodun’s administration increasingly symbolizes distance from the grassroots, elite favoritism, and political calculation without emotional connection to the people,” he said.
The retired general also raised concerns regarding the governor’s silence on the agitation for Ijebu State and Ijebu-Remo State creation, arguing that political leadership should not remain disconnected from long-standing regional aspirations.
He warned against allowing political branding and propaganda to overshadow accountability, insisting that history ultimately judges leaders based on their impact on ordinary citizens.
“This is not about hatred. It is about accountability. It is not about tribal sentiment. It is about political memory,” Okunowo stated.
Daniel concluded by urging APC members across Ogun East to remain politically active, secure their membership cards, and support leaders they believe would remain accountable to the grassroots after elections.
