Daniel Seeks Monarchs’ Intervention In Ogun Govt’s ‘Stop Work’ Order

Former governor of Ogun State and the senator representing Ogun East Senatorial district of the state, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, has appealed to the Council of Traditional Rulers to prevail on the state government to revoke its “Stop Work” order on federal projects he facilitated so that the district might not be shortchanged.

With particular reference to the rehabilitation of the Itanrin and General Hospital roads in Ijebu North local government area, through federal agencies, Daniel urged traditional rulers and political leaders in Ijebu North to persuade the state government to allow the projects to continue in the interest of the people at the grassroots.

The senator who spoke during the Midterm Community Assessment and Review Tour of the BATOGD Movement in Ijebu North warned that the state would forfeit its benefits from having the roads rehabilitated by December 2025 if the state government continued to hold on to the “Stop Work” order.

The senator explained that the federal interventions, facilitated through his office, had been halted after a “stop-work order” was issued by the local government chairman, “under immense pressure”.

“A ‘stop work order’ has been issued by the Local Government Chairman, who we understand is under immense pressure. The question this government is not asking itself is: why choose to fight the people?

Why create an anti-people narrative? A growing sense of annoyance is developing internally against this administration, and it is entirely of its own making.

“Let me be blunt: if by December 2025, this stop work order is not revoked, the federal funding for these roads will be lost. It will be returned to the treasury.

“The role of a National Assembly member is facilitation. We facilitate, and the federal agencies execute. While this should have been commended, the state government has erected needless impediments.

“They erroneously believe the federal contractors are “OGD’s contractors,” and in line with their agenda of removing anything associated with me, the project must be frustrated.

“I therefore make a passionate appeal to our Kabiyesis and all well-meaning leaders here present. Please speak with the Governor on behalf of our people. Let him allow the people’s road to be rehabilitated.

“There are hundreds of roads requiring state and local government attention. To single out and sabotage these two federal interventions because of personal grievances is the height of political pettiness. It must stop, for the sake of and in the larger interest of the people of Ijebu North.

Speaking further about his midterm scorecards, Daniel said the BATOGD Movement, the platform through which he has, over the past two years, been mobilising grassroots support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second term of office, has facilitated the installation of solar street lights in Ago-Iwoye and Ijebu-Igbo.