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What No One Will Tell You About Their Fight
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The Inside Story
This is the story of 2 close friends and political associates who have now become sworn enemies. For over a year now, both have not been on speaking terms.
According to the story, Gov. Dapo Abiodun stopped talking to Senator Gbenga Daniel mid last year after he allegedly complained that OGD does not seem to respect him and his office as a sitting governor. But somehow, both of them papered over the cracks in their relationship, with OGD preferring to keep silent about it.
But what brought the issue to fore was the recent decision by the Governor to declare war on his erstwhile friend. By his action it became clear that both were not on good terms.
When the news initially broke a few days ago that the officials of the Ogun State government had demolished parts of a 5-storey building belonging to the wife of Senator Gbenga Daniel, many were surprised. Some were in shock. It left many in utter disbelief that Gov. Abiodun who is an age long friend of OGD could deal him such a blow.
But somehow, many couldn’t believe that the Governor will do such a thing to his friend and political associate. Initially, some believed that what happend could be the handiwork of some overzealous government officials. But it took Abiodun’s revelation in the media that what his officials did was quite correct and in line with government policy that made many know that truly the Gov. was aware of it.
He told the Press, that the law is no respecter of anybody, so officials of the Ministry of Physical Planning were doing their job.
Association of OGD responded via a Press Release. “We read with utter dismay and bewilderment a post vandalisation narrative attributed to one Engr. Olayiwola Abiodun, said to be the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development trying to justify the wanton destruction of the Datkem Plaza on Folagabde Street, Ijebu Ode in the dead of the night of Sunday 10th of September, 2023.
The fact that the writer could not append his or her name nor sign off on the content but only attributed to a Permanent Secretary is sufficient enough not to accord it any response, but for the unsuspecting members of the public who are keenly following the event, it has become important to make some explanations.
(1) The content which were mainly circulated on the social media and published by some online media tried to justify the midnight brigandage of the agents of government or persons believed to be working for certain persons of interest in, or carrying the Orders of the Ogun State Government under the Mr. Dapo Abiodun led-government, declaring the DATKEM Plaza, Ijebu Ode as an illegal structure without an approved plan.
Our response:
This is absolutely untrue, and by their own admittance this is also contradictory. In the said release they admitted that “DATKEM Enterprises Limited submitted application for an office building, located along Ibadan Road, Ijebu Ode in 2009 with registration number CB/05/299/2009”. We think this has paid a lie to the faceless submission that the building was illegal “without an approved plan”. For emphasis: the correct Approval Number is: APN:CB/05/299/299.
(2) They also claimed that “The structure… contravened the state’s physical planning laws… violated the building codes of the state with numerous defects.”
Our response:
Since it has been established that the building has an approval, we seek to know the specific “physical planning laws” and “building codes” that were violated. There were no specific structural defects referenced in all the communication between the builders and the state government and we shall return to what were references shortly. We are equally aware that following the illegal vandalisation of the DATKEM Plaza, efforts are being made to doctor the books and records of the urban and physical planning department to look for something they could use to justify the illegal action. Hence, the statement that “the Ogun State Government will not fold its arm and allow and such occurrence.”
(3) “…for a commercial building of that status, there must be parking space to accommodate vehicular traffic within and outside the facility for workers and visitors. The provision of the law is for 45 to 50 per cent of available land for construction as a buildable (sic) area.”
Our response:
Those who have visited the premises will attest to the fact that the building is facing Folagbade Street, Ijebu Ode, while on both sides of the building there are undeveloped streets and at the back there is a vacant plot of land which even the government agents are aware is being negotiated to be purchased as additional parking spaces.
(4) “The proposal was for five (5) floors with airspace of 3 metres at the right, 5m at the left, 5metres at the rear and a setback of 32.5516 metres to the middle of Ijebu Ode/Ibadan road, Ijebu-Ode.
Our response:
The approved plan for the plaza was for six (6) floors contrary to the claims in the said release. It therefore suggests that the building volume and density was reduced from six (6) floors as originally approved to five (5) floors by the builder. And this is largely due to cash flow and the non economic viability of the location.
(5) “… the construction on site did not conform with the plan granted as there was a deviation from the airspaces and setback.
Our response:
The so-called airspaces will matter only on high fenced premises. As said earlier, the Plaza was bordered on both sides by undeveloped streets and there are no buildings immediately on both sides, there is also no building at the back of the building which leaves enough air spa
Some insiders have revealed that what Dapo did to OGD could be taken as an official declaration of war against the man who was one of those who helped him win the elections as Governor in 2019.
City People can confirm that the 2 gladiators have been at war since last year when Abiodun allegedly told OGD on the eve of his flag off not to go ahead with his senatorial campaigns, before his own declaration.
That was the beginning of their fight, revealed an insider.
City People gathered that Gov. Dapo Abiodun stopped talking to OGD last year over what many have termed irreconciable differences, arising out of political issues. We hear the Governor, who is the leader of the party in the state wanted to create his own independent political structure within the party and put his candidates in all the key positions of the party. This became glaring last year before the party primaries in the state when the governor wanted his loyalists to occupy all the Senatorial, House of Reps, State Assembly seats.
The differences became glaring when Prince Dapo Abiodun did not support OGD’s bid for the Senate. OGD was said to have officially informed Gov. Abiodun of his intention to run and he encouraged him to go ahead, only for OGD to hear that the Governor was backing other aspirants. OGD, an experienced politician, realised that Gov. Abioduns body language showed that he was not in full support of his political ambition.
OGD was unhappy that the governor who he worked for in 2019 to win the guber election would now turn round to oppose his bid. He also could not understand why Gov. Abiodun who has been his age long friend from way back, would now betray him at a point when he needed his support or buy-in.
Don’t forget that the trio of OGD, Gov. Abiodun & Senator Ibikunle Amosun have been friends for the past 25 years. They have also been political associates for years.
But Gov. Abiodun feels that in times past, both OGD and Amosun had ran their tenures as governors, without any godfather interfering in the scheme of things in the state. So, he wanted to be left alone to run his own show, without both OGD and Senator Ibikunle Amosun interfering.
Left to Gov. Abiodun, he wanted his candidates to emerge in Ogun East, Ogun Central and Ogun West. He also wanted to take charge of the House of Reps seat.
All the manoeuvres created tension, acrimony and bitterness amongst all the political players.
Recall that OGD was one of the major political players who threw his weight behind Dapo, when it mattered most in 2019. The fight then was between Dapo Abiodun and Senator Amosun’s candidate. Amosun had vowed that Dapo Abiodun will not do a 2nd term. But OGD and others teamed up and formed a formidable bloc to back up Dapo Abiodun, and he won. So, OGD had expected that a good term should surely deserve another term.
That was why OGD was shocked when Abiodun didn’t support his bid for the Senate. He had expected that Gov. Abiodun would rally support for him. Once campaign started, OGD suddenly realised that he was alone in the race, without the support or backing of the governor.
A lot even happened before this, City People gathered. Not only did Abiodun not support OGD, he endorsed another candidate. Some even alleged that Gov. Abiodun fielded about 2 aspirants to battle OGD for the slot. Insiders say it took OGD’s political dexterity to make him win at the primaries.
At some point, noted an insider, the Awujale of Ijebu, Oba Sikiru Adetona had to step in. He had to ask one of the aspirants Senator Lekan Mustapha to step down for OGD. Mustapha is like a son to Awujale, so it wasn’t difficult to get Mustapha to obey Awujale. Don’t forget that Mustapha & Gov. Dapo are close.
He was Gov. Abiodun’s Campaign Manager. They have been age-long friends.
Insiders have also revealed that the reason Gov. Abiodun didn’t support OGD was because of his desire to secure that seat for himself when he leaves office at the expiration of his tenure in 2026. The governor, we hear, didn’t want to support OGD because he knows once OGD wins, it will be difficult to get him to step down when the time comes. He feels OGD would most likely spend 8 straight years if he wins. He wanted his own candidate who will spend only 4 years and step down for him to take over. Insiders say Gov. Abiodun has his eyes on that Ogun East Senate seat. That is the zone he comes from.
When it became crystal clear that Dapo Abiodun was not in support of OGD was when he asked OGD not to flag off his campaign last year. When OGD was about to begin his campaign the response from the governor a day before was that he should not commence the campaign.
OGD defied the order. And from that point, the battle line had been drawn.
This explains why throughout his campaign, Dapo Abiodun did not campaign for him or support him. OGD went ahead and Gov. Abiodun saw it as arrogance, He felt OGD should have obeyed his instructions.
Both of them further disagreed during the APC primaries when Gov. Dapo was on VP Osinbajo’s side of the divide, and OGD was on Tinubu’s side. That was the period when Tinubu came to Abeokuta to tackle the governor
What happened was that Gov. Abiodun had allegedly told the delegates to the APC presidential primaries to support Prof. Osinbajo who ran for the primaries. Tinubu also gathered that Gov. Abiodun did not support SWAGA activities and Launch in Ogun State. The understanding, was that the APC governors in the South West would support each state chapter of SWAGA.
But in Ogun State, Gov. Dapo Abiodun did not throw his weight behind Tinubu, which led to the face-off between the 2 when Tinubu visited Abeokuta to address the delegates.
In a recent interview, OGD revealed more about his differences with Gov. Abiodun. Daniel has always insisted that he has no problems with Abiodun. And that it is the other way round.
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