ABEOKUTA— The Ogun State Government has strongly refuted allegations that it is obstructing Senator Gbenga Daniel’s proposed 260-meter road project in Sagamu by demanding unusually strict technical standards. The government, in a statement by Hon. Kayode Akinmade, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media & Strategy, described the claims as “laughable and ridiculous.”
The statement clarified that the technical standards required for the Paddy Arikawe Oye-Igbimo Road are the same as those applied to all state road projects, emphasising that these measures are non-negotiable and intended to ensure public safety. The government also warned that any attempt to lower these standards would be rejected.
The Ogun State Government’s statement comes in response to a report allegedly from Senator Daniel’s media team, which accused Governor Dapo Abiodun of a standoff with President Bola Tinubu over the project’s quality. The state government dismissed the report as a “name-dropping pile of garbage” and a “hastily assembled fabrication,” challenging the Senator’s team to provide evidence that President Tinubu is personally involved in a 260-meter road project in Ogun State.
According to the state government, the contractor, Minim and Tonye Nigeria Limited, failed to follow due process by beginning work without first informing the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and securing the necessary approval. The government noted that it discovered the project’s design for drainage and concrete pavement failed to meet the standards of the Federal Ministry of Works (FMW) only after the contractor submitted the drawings.
The Ministry of Works subsequently sent a letter dated September 22, 2025, to the contractor, requesting that they correct the identified deficiencies and resubmit the drawings for approval. The statement highlighted that it is standard practice for any government—state or federal—to seek clearance and share project documents before commencing work on roads within another’s jurisdiction to prevent conflicts and duplication of efforts.
Commitment to Quality and Accountability
The state government further revealed that the contractor planned to construct only 300 meters of the 3,000-meter road, even though the Ogun State Ministry of Works had already completed palliative work up to the stone base level on parts of the road and was in the final design stages for the entire stretch.
Hon. Akinmade’s statement described the Ministry of Works’ directive as a “responsible and necessary step” rooted in its constitutional duty to safeguard the interests of Ogun State residents, not an “interference” as alleged. The government rejected the attempt to involve the Presidency in what it called a “distraction” from the contractor’s failure to meet acceptable technical standards.
“How can anyone describe the Ogun State Government’s insistence on higher grade concrete, stronger stone base layers, reinforced tensile strength, and full compliance with Federal Ministry of Works standards as political if not for sinister motives?” the statement queried. The government vowed it would not compromise on quality or permit the execution of substandard projects, asserting its commitment to transparency, accountability, and the lasting development of the state.
