Former Ogun State governor and Senator representing Ogun East, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, has accused Governor Dapo Abiodun of orchestrating a politically motivated move to demolish his Sagamu residence, The Asoludero Court, along with Conference Hotels Limited and its annex in Sagamu.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Steve Oliyide, Daniel alleged that demolition threats were served on the properties on Friday, August 8, at about 4 p.m., through notices citing contravention of the Ogun State Urban and Regional Planning Law of 2022. The documents ordered him to vacate within three days.
Describing the allegations of building without adequate permits as “laughable” and “flimsy,” Daniel stressed that the structures in question were built long before the law came into effect. The Asoludero Court in 2004, Conference Hotel in 2013, and its annex in 2015.
“This is not a legal process; it is a thuggish tactic designed to intimidate and inflict damage,” Daniel said, accusing the governor of bypassing established procedures that require adequate notice and due process before demolition.
The Senator linked the move to a “pattern of persecution,” recalling the September 2023 demolition of DATKEM Plaza, Ijebu Ode owned by his wife, Yeye Olufunke Daniel under controversial circumstances, a case still pending in court.
He called on citizens, human rights groups, and legal bodies to condemn what he termed “egregious abuse of power,” vowing to fight the threat using all legal means.
However, Governor Abiodun’s Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, dismissed the claims of political targeting, saying the government was merely auditing building documents across the state.
“Most of them have violated building plans, and the letter was not sent to him alone. If your papers are genuine, why panic? Nobody is after anybody,” Akinmade said, adding that a comprehensive government statement would follow.
