27th October, 2014
Abiodun Onafuye/Abeokuta
Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, western Nigeria, has described his predecessor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, as a confused person and pathological liar.
The Ogun State governor slammed Daniel in reaction to the former governor’s negative comments about his administration, while speaking with journalists after the commissioning of the first gated estate in the state, Orange Valley Estate, constructed by the Ogun State Property Investment Corporation, OPIC.
Daniel, during his official defection to People’s Democratic Party, PDP from Labour Party,LP last Tuesday in Abeokuta, Ogun State’s capital, reportedly accused Amosun of inflicting pains on the people of Ogun State with his double taxation.
He also accused the state government of incurring about N200 billion debt in less than four years, claiming that during his eight-year tenure as the governor of the state he only incurred ‘a meager N37 billion debt’.
Reacting, Amosun said that his predecessor and his followers are confused people, who do not know what to say again after witnessing the great achievements of his administration in less than four years.
According to him, “I don’t have time for them now, they are confused people. The achievements we made in less than four years surprised them. When we started demolition, they said we are demolishing people’s house and nothing will be done aftermath. We started the road expansion and they were surprised. When we started constructing the model schools, they said it is a lie, the schools are now ready, and they are shock.
“When we started this estate here, they said we can’t do it. We have just commissioned 66 units and others are ongoing. We made similar progress across the state. New Makun is ongoing in Sagamu, Agbara’s project is ongoing, along with Kobape road. Another construction is ongoing at Alamala area. By the time all these are completed, the issue of housing would have been resolved, because we are doing for different earners. All of us are entitled to good house and this government is not sleeping over that. We will continue to ensure that the dream of the founders of OPIC to see that affordable houses for all the people in the state, either indigene or non indigenes, comes to past.
“All these are given our critics sleepless night, they never thought of seeing this state at this level. They are surprised. They thought we are like them. Remember that if you are in front of someone that does not love you, even if he stand on the tallest building, he will still say he cannot see anything. Let’s just leave them and continue with our mission to rebuild the state,” Amosun stated.
Governor Amosun also denied that the state incurred N200 billion debt as claimed by the former governor.
“I am an accountant and I know that no bank in this country can borrow any state up to that, so where did they get such figure. We are using just two banks. We owe one about N13 billion to N15 billion, so if we owe the other like say, N10 billion, how has that amounted to N200 billion.
“And to let you know, we don’t borrow a dime to construct this estate…We will not listen to them, they are pathological liars and confused people. It is the proceeds we made from the estates for the middle class people that we are going to recycle and use to build that of the low class people. It will go round and they will continue to marvel, they have not seen anything yet,” the governor declared.
Amosun had earlier maintained that he would not respond to all accusations and allegations of his critics until during the election period. He made this known while addressing the people of Abeokuta North Local Government Area during the rounding up of his assessment tour of all the 20 Local Government Areas in state at the Late Oba Odeleye Park, Sokori, Abeokuta, Ogun State.