The Ogun State Government has declared that it will not compromise on technical standards in the ongoing 260-metre Paddy Arikawe Oye-Igbimo Road in Sagamu, a constituency project facilitated by Senator Gbenga Daniel, who represents Ogun East.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by Hon. Kayode Akinmade, Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Media and Strategy, the government dismissed as “laughable and ridiculous” claims that the governor was insisting on unusually strict standards for the project.
Akinmade explained that the standards demanded of the contractor, Minim and Tonye Nigeria Limited, are the same requirements applied to all state projects. According to him, they are “designed to protect public safety” and not targeted at any political figure.
“Any push by Senator Daniel’s associates to lower these standards amounts to a blatant attempt to compromise public safety and is dead on arrival,” Akinmade said.
He described as “a name-dropping pile of garbage” a report purportedly from Senator Daniel’s media team, titled ‘Dapo Abiodun Takes on Tinubu Over Standard of Road Constructed in Ogun’.
He insisted that dragging President Bola Tinubu into the matter was a “hastily assembled fabrication driven by desperation and ulterior motives.”
“Pray, what does the Presidency have to do with a contractor’s failure to meet acceptable technical standards? This is simply an old-fashioned ploy by the OGD media team to divert attention from the substance of the issues raised,” he added.
The government said its technical observations were based on submitted drawings, which it found to have fallen short of the Federal Ministry of Works’ specifications.
“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 also stressed that the contractor failed to notify the Ogun State Ministry of Works before commencing work, an act it said violated due process.
“The contractor was therefore informed through letter Ref. No. AD. 1198/48, dated 17th September 2025, to formally inform the Ministry about the concerned project and seek necessary approval,” Akinmade explained.
Reaffirming its position, the government maintained that Ogun people deserve roads that “stand the test of time.”
“The Ogun State Government will not compromise on quality, nor will it allow substandard projects to be executed within the State. The antics of the OGD media team will not succeed.”
“The facts remain clear, and the administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun remains committed to transparency, accountability, and lasting development for all,” the statement concluded.
