Daniel not from Ogun, says Amosu

by Oladapo Oreoluwa

The political rivalry between Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun and his predecessor, Gbenga Daniel, took a new dimension yesterday, as Amosun queried Daniel’s lineage.

Amosun said he knew how Daniel was helped to claim Sagamu as his home town, when he aspired to contest in 2003.

The governor, who spoke in Odeda, Odeda Local Government Area while on an assessment tour, vowed before All Progressives Congress (APC) members to expose the ‘intrigues’ surrounding the ex – governor.

Amosun’s comments followed allegations by Daniel last week that the present administration has sold off all the farmlands in the area.

Daniel said: “When I came into power in 2003, the first place we visited was Odeda and we established 13 farm settlements.

“Today, we are sorry that this present administration has started selling our farmlands to other neighbouring states.

“He is busy building roads and bridges which we did when we came in 2003. When I was coming today, I tried to check on the road, the road was very bad.

“ I want to ask you people of Odeda, what has Amosun done for you here? He has been building bridges all over and nothing was done here for you, he neglected you.”

But the governor said his predecessor frittered away all the state’s wealth under spurious concession.

He cited Apoje farm settlement which was sold to a former commissioner in Lagos State at a giveaway price.

The governor said: “Although, it isn’t time for political campaign, yet I will not hesitate to respond to Daniel’s allegations which he leveled against me and my administration here in the same Odeda Local Government.

“The farmlands were over 60, when we came in, they were five left. God will punish them all.

“Our forefathers will never forgive them and future generations will also curse them. They thought we are like them, we are not, we are true sons of Ogun State.

“He is envious of our achievements and successes. We need to let them know that we are not thieves.

“They will not be able to stand and campaign here in Odeda by the time I start exposing them.

“If not for the type of the country we are, they ought to bury their heads in shame rather than boasting around town.

“We are bona fide sons of the soil and will never do things that will destroy the future of our children.

“They are not happy because all the property they stole; we have retrieved them.

“The hotels, farms, money and others have been collected back; we will do what is needful.

“They said we didn’t do anything here, when we came in, we planned to begin work on this road, but we were stopped because the Federal Government has begun work on it.

“Here it is now, nothing is being done here. When we start the work, I promise you it will be stopped at Bakatari town.

But the former governor in a statement by his media aide, Ayo Giwa, said:

“The people of Ogun State are saying it loud and clear that they are tired of this government.
“As governor why did he not institute a probe to look into the concessions?
“He has all the machinery of government at hand so what is he waiting for?
“The statement that Otunba Gbenga Daniel is not from Sagamu is an insult to the people of Sagamu.
“It’s also a taboo and effrontery on the traditional institutions in the land, especially the thrones of the Akarigbo of Remoland as well as the Ewusi of Makun in Remo Kingdom.
“That Otunba Daniel sold all the state’s assets is cheap blackmail. Is concession not different from outright sale?”