Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State and his immediate predecessor in office, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, on Wednesday engaged in war of words over the latter’s state of origin.
Amosun, who was on a working tour of Odeda Local Government area of the state, had while addressing a crowd of party supporters, claimed that Daniel was not a native of Ogun State, but of Isoko extraction in Delta State.
He added that he was one of those who helped the former governor acquire the nativity of Sagamu.
But in a swift reaction, Daniel said such a remark was an insult on the entire good people of the historical town of Sagamu, where he hails from, as well as a taboo and effrontery on its traditional institutions.
Gov. Amosun was reacting to the allegations levelled against his administration by the ex-governor during a summit held at Odeda, in Odeda Local Government by the Labour Party a fortnight ago.
Daniel had accused Amosun of selling-off all the farmlands in the area to other states.
He had said, “When I came into power in 2003, the first place we visited was Odeda and we recognised that agriculture is the main stream here; we therefore established 13 farm settlements.
“Today, we are sorry that this present government has started selling our farmlands to other neighbouring states.
“He is busy constructing roads and bridges and Alabata road, 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 constructing bridges all over and nothing was done here for you, he neglected you”.
In his reaction, Amosun maintained that he assisted Daniel to claim Sagamu indigeneship when he wanted to contest the governorship seat of the state in 2003.
The governor described Daniel as a prodigal son, who sold off all the properties of the state under fake concession agreements.
He particularly mentioned Apoje Farm Settlement, which he said the former governor had sold to a former commissioner in Lagos State, at a ridiculous amount.
He said, “When they came into power, the farmlands were over 60. When we came in, it remains only five. They are rogues, thieves and bastard. God will punish them all. Our forefathers will never forgive them and the generations coming will also curse them. They thought we are like them; we are not. We are not a bastard from Isoko”.
Daniel, who reacted to the claim through his media aide, Mr. Ayo Giwa, said, “The statement that Otunba Gbenga Daniel is not from Sagamu is an insult on the entire good people of the historical town of Sagamu as well as 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.
“Precisely on Saturday February 23, 2002, Otunba Gbenga Daniel was made the Aare Asoludero of Makun Sagamu with traditional rites performed by the late Ewusi, Oba Efuwape Ogunsowo, Inanuwa II. To all intents and purposes, Oba Ogunsowo declared that Otunba Daniel was a freeborn of Makun in Sagamu and of the Ojelobaye family origin”.
Amosun so u can stand to say such a senseless thing in d public dat u assisted an illegal act to claim state of origin, and u can b so stupid to say it out? U are a goat, d last cow I saw is beta dan u. Daniel is from sagamu but u are from isoko dat is wat it means
If Amosu, not my Amosu, a Governor could descend so low as to cast a very serious and malicious asperson on a former governor of the same state, I think I will remind him what Hon late Zik of Africa told the former Administrator of Eastern State late Opabi Asika that “No condition is permanent” Again I say to Gbenga that he dug his own grave. He was the cause of what happened to him. Very soon, Amosu wil leave office, he will not see the second term(he will not die) then he will know that ‘no condition is permanent.
With the statement credited to Amosu, he has demonstrated thar he is the worst governor ever to rule any state in Nigeria. Gbenga Daniel is an Isoko from Delta. And so what? Should that (assuming that it is true) prevent him from playing his politics in the state of his birth (Ogun)? Is it not written in the Nigerian constitution that any Nigerian after residing in a particular period of time is free to contest for political posts in his or her state of residence? In fact, Amosun is a frustrated he-goat.