.Says it can’t endorse substandard road projects

OGUN State Government, yesterday, faulted the allegation that it stopped the constituency projects being executed by the senator representing Ogun East in the National Assembly, Gbenga Daniel, out of spite.

It said that Daniel’s projects in some areas were stopped because they were substandard and did not meet the Federal Government’s specifications, adding that the government has a constitutional right to ensure that projects are done appropriately and in consonance with standards.

The state government, in a statement signed by Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, said the contractors did not conform to the Federal Ministry of Works’ specifications and were instructed to provide approved specifications and drawings for the road projects awarded to them.
This, the government said, would enable the Ogun Ministry of Works to do proper monitoring of the projects.

“At the same time, a designated engineer from the Ogun State Ministry of Works has been assigned to conduct routine supervision to enforce compliance with the specifications.”

Akinmade, while speaking on Daniel’s suspension, said that it was a party affair, adding that the Dapo Abiodun-led administration could not re-admit Daniel into the Ogun APC fold when it did not suspend him in the first place.
He, however, advised Daniel to exert his energy and media efforts on proving his innocence to the party, and instead of blaming everybody, he should blame himself.

The Special Adviser, who also spoke on Daniel’s allegation of being persecuted by the governor, said that the claims are laughable.
He said that Daniel had consistently talked and acted as if he was still in charge of affairs as governor of Ogun State, adding that the senator wanted everyone to automatically kowtow to him, no matter what he did.

He said: “Daniel claimed that the state government stopped his constituency project, a project meant to be executed with federal funds, simply because he was asked to follow due process. Is he the only federal lawmaker in Ogun State? Is he the only one executing constituency projects?

“Why is he the only former governor constantly at war against the law and logic in Ogun State, and always staging a pity party using a pliant media whenever he is tasked with taking responsibility for his actions?

“In Ogun State today, there is peace and stability, unlike his crisis-ridden tenure when he was constantly at war with everyone in the state, including members of the state House of Assembly and the state’s representatives in the National Assembly. Daniel just can’t deal with not being in a position to manipulate things to his advantage.

“He cannot be bigger than the party that gave him a ticket for the Senate. He should sort out his issues with the party if he still has any shred of conscience or integrity.”

He added that the Ogun State Government has better things to do than to be constantly responding to Daniel’s tantrums.