Ogun State Government, on Monday, dismissed the allegation that it stopped the constituency projects being executed by Gbenga Daniel, the senator representing Ogun East in the National Assembly, out of spite. It declared that Mr Daniel’s projects in some areas were stopped because they were substandard and did not meet Federal Government specifications, adding that the government has a constitutional right to ensure that projects were done appropriately and in consonance with standards.
The government, which made this declaration in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, said the contractors doing works that do not conform to the Federal Ministry of Works’ specifications were instructed to provide approved specifications and drawings for the road projects that had been awarded to them.
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This, the government said, would enable the Ogun Ministry of Works to do proper monitoring of the projects, adding: “Those contractors who complied have since been given the go-ahead to continue with the road projects…At the same time, a designated engineer from the Ogun State Ministry of Works is assigned to conduct routine supervision to enforce compliance with the specifications.”
On Senator Daniel’s suspension, Mr Akinmade said that it is a party affair, adding that the Dapo Abiodun-led administration could not re-admit the Ogun East senator into the Ogun APC fold when it did not suspend him in the first place. He advised Senator Daniel to exert his energy and media efforts on proving his innocence to the party, instead of blaming everybody but himself.
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Mr Akinmade said: “It was not the Ogun State Government that suspended Senator Gbenga Daniel; it was the party, APC in his ward, and the suspension was then ratified by the State Working Committee. “Before then, the party gave him ample opportunity to defend himself, but he shunned the summons.
“That he is launching media attacks on the State Government rather than facing the party that gave him a ticket to contest election, and against which he committed punishable acts, is illogical. “It shows that he has no regard for the party or its leadership, and no sense of accountability or responsibility. He is just chasing shadows, blaming everyone but himself because of his huge ego.”
On alleged persecution of the senator by Governor Abiodun, Mr Akinmade said that the senator’s claims are laughable. He said that Senator Daniel had consistently talked and acted as if he was still in charge of affairs as Governor of Ogun State, adding that the senator wanted everyone to automatically kowtow to him no matter what he did.
He said: “Daniel claims that the Government stopped his constituency project, a project meant to be executed with federal funds, simply because he was asked to follow due process. Is he the only federal lawmaker in Ogun State? Is he the only one executing constituency projects? “Why is he the only former governor constantly at war against law and logic in Ogun State, and always staging a pity party using a pliant media whenever he is tasked with taking responsibility for his actions? ”
Mr Akinmade further stated: “In Ogun State today, there is peace and stability, unlike his crisis-ridden tenure when he was constantly at war with everyone in the State, including members of the state House of Assembly and the state’s representatives in the National Assembly. Daniel just can’t deal with not being in a position to manipulate things to his advantage.
“He cannot be bigger than the party that gave him a ticket for the Senate. He should sort out his issues with the party if he still has any shred of conscience or integrity.” He added that the Ogun State Government had better things to do than to be constantly responding to Daniel’s tantrums.
