Kayode-Akinmade
By Iyun Olayiwola
The Ogun State Government has denied allegations that Governor Dapo Abiodun is targeting Senator Gbenga Daniel with demolition notices, describing the urban renewal plan as holistic. According to Kayode Akinmade, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the Governor, the government’s initiative aims to redevelop towns and cities across Ogun State through a comprehensive audit of existing buildings in major Government Reserved Areas (GRAs).
This exercise, which started with Ibara GRA in Abeokuta, is now being extended to Sagamu and Ijebu-Ode GRAs, covering houses, schools, hospitals, and commercial buildings to verify their permit status. Akinmade emphasized that the government isn’t pursuing any improper agenda against Daniel, urging him to present his planning permit and land title for verification instead of resorting to “cheap blackmail”.
The government maintains that the process is routine and wasn’t designed to target Daniel specifically, as similar notices have been served to numerous other property owners in the affected areas. Daniel had alleged that the government was attempting to apply the Ogun State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law No. 61 of 2022 retroactively to demolish structures built before its enactment, describing the move as “politically motivated” and a “blatant disregard for due process.
Akinmade countered that the law’s regulatory framework has existed since Daniel’s tenure as governor, adding that “nobody is bigger than the state”. The government insists that Daniel should comply with the lawful directive and submit the required documents for verification .
