A former governor of Ogun State and Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, on Saturday, raised the alarm over what he described as “political persecution” by the incumbent, Prince Dapo Abiodun.
Daniel, in a statement issued in Sagamu by the head of his media office, Steve Oliyide, accused Governor Abiodun of political vindictiveness against his person by allegedly hiding behind a newly-enacted law targeting political opponents to demolish his properties in Sagamu area of the state.
Daniel called on eminent Nigerians, the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), as well we the body of legal practitioners across the country to join him in condemning what he described as “egregious abuse of power” by Governor Abiodun.
Oliyide said the Governor Abiodun-led administration had on Friday evening, ordered Otunba Daniel to quit his private residence, as well as evacuate two other properties belonging to him or risk demolition.
The evacuation cum demolition order, served on the former governor listed his private residence – the Asoludero Court, as well as the Conference Hotels Limited and the hotel’s annex in Sagamu, all belonging to Daniel in Sagamu.
The Order, titled: “Notice of Contravention”, served through the Sagamu office of the state’s Ministry of Urban and Regional Planning, copies of which was made available to journalists, said Daniel built the Asoludero Court and the two other properties “without planning permits” and “without adequate setbacks”.
The directive, dated 8th of August, 2025, and pasted on the perimeter fences of the affected properties around on Friday evening, ordered Daniel to evacuate the affected properties under a 72 hours, failure of which they would be demolished.
However, reacting to the quit and demolition order, Daniel accused Governor Abiodun of embarking on political vindictiveness which he said was snowballing into “a shameful and dangerous level, without any regard for extant laws or common decency”.
He declared that the ministry’s action was not only politically motivated, but also a blatant disregard for due process and the rule of law.
“The Notices in themselves are clear breaches of procedures which allows adequate time intervals between Notifications on contraventions, Quits and the penalties, if indeed there was any, is not a demolition or a threat of it.
“Governor Abiodun’s administration has completely bypassed this procedure, issuing a “Notice of Contravention” and a “Notice to Quit” simultaneously, with an immediate threat of demolition. This is not a legal process; it is a thuggish tactic designed to intimidate and inflict damage,” the statement said.
He added, “We need to call the attention of the public and relevant security agencies to a very displeasing development in Ogun State”.
Daniel strongly condemned what he called “this latest act of political persecution by Governor Dapo Abiodun, as evidenced by the recent issuance of these Notices which were dated August 8, 2025, as a clear demonstration of the governor’s malicious and vindictive abuse of power, hiding behind a newly-enacted law retroactively to target a political opponent”.
He described the “suspected” offenses related to construction of the affected properties without adequate permits as laughable. “This is a ludicrous and flimsy excuse, as the properties in question have been in existence for many years.”
Insisting that he will not be silent “in the face of this injustice”, Daniel further disclosed that he would use every legal means at his disposal to ensure that Governor Abiodun “is held accountable for his lawless actions”.
