A Gateway Rumble

Governor Gbenga Daniel of Ogun State

Governor Gbenga Daniel of Ogun State faces plots by internal and external forces apparently determined to impeach him
By Bayo Bernard
When Alani Bankole, father of House of Representatives Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, and former chairman of the All Nigerian People’s Party (ANPP), crossed over to the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) after his son became the leader of Nigeria’s lower house, he told journalists: “I joined the PDP because of my son.” As subtle as that statement was, those that were able to read between the lines observed that Bankole’s action had the potential to upset the subsisting political situation in Ogun State. Though the governor of the state, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, may have taken the political move as a gain considering that the speaker was a member of his political school, the Ijebu born governor has since regretted his initial response to the ex-ANPP chieftain’s action.
The senior Bankole has been fingered as an arrow – head in the plot to unseat the incumbent Ogun State governor. He is said to be working hand-in-hand with some internal and external forces to impeach Governor Daniel, thereby putting an end to his five- year rule, which started in 2003. Wole Adedayo, Governor Daniel’s Special Assistant, Public Communication told The Source that the plot is part of an attempt to create a situation similar to that in a North central state where the governor is the son of the political godfather of the state.
Speaker Bankole has recently been accused of nursing the ambition to replace Governor Daniel as the occupier of the government house in Abeokuta.
The governor’s aide said the plot to remove his boss started over a month ago when lawmakers of the House of Assembly impeached their former Speaker, Titi Oseni, a staunch ally of the governor. The lawmakers had accused their leader of tilting too much towards the executive as well as being power-drunk. A new Speaker, Tunji Egbetokun, has since been elected.
Adedayo told The Source that the scenario that prevailed during the late General Sani Abacha military regime is being re-enacted in Ogun State, “We are a third world country and anything can happen just like in Abacha era when true democrats were being hounded. People don’t follow due process, they want to use hook and crook means to get to power.” He accused the state lawmaker of being bribed with millions of naira by politicians from Abuja to unseat his boss. “No matter the level of intimidation or money they pour into it, they will fail,” he further said.
But to the Speaker Bankole’s camp, the allegations by Governor Daniel’s group are spurious and unfounded. Though the man said to be at the center of the plot to impeach the governor appeared to have remained silent over the allegations, his spokesman told The Source that the allegations were meant to smear the image of the Speaker.
Speaker Bankole’s spokesman, Kayode Odunaro, told The Source that his boss is too busy carrying out the affairs of the lower chamber to be dragged into the murky politics of the Gateway State. “We don’t want to say anything. Our position is that we don’t have anything to say.”
Asked, by The Source to state the Speaker’s position on the allegation, he said: “I’m not responsible for whatever happens in Ogun State, I’m only in charge here to help the Speaker to carry out his primary assignment in the House of Representatives.”
The issue has, however, taken a new turn as various actors in the political drama have alleged assassination plots against them. The propaganda war appears to be so tight that neither camp is ready to be submerged in the murky political water.
The first salvo of the assassination campaign was fired by the anti-Daniel group who claimed that the governor was planning to wipe out the lawmakers.
Penultimate week, Governor Daniel’s Chief of Staff, Dr. Majekodunmi, was arrested and later released by the police after the Speaker of the state’s House of Assembly alleged that Majekodumi came to his residence with some hoodlums to assassinate him. The Chief of Staff has since debunked the allegations, contending that he only visited the Speaker in order to bring an end to the political impasse.
Majekodunmi said his visit to the Speaker was not planned as he only went to find out why the lawmakers refused to attend a courtesy call arranged for them at the Government House that day. “The courtesy call was at the instance of the lawmakers and as Chief of Staff I had made elaborate arrangements only to discover that they did not come. So, I called the Speaker,” he said.
He said the gun found in the boot of his car was a licensed one and that he took the pistol for a trip to Osun State, where he was due to attend the 30th marriage anniversary of the governor of the state, Olagunsoye Oyinlola.
Debunking the alleged plot to assassinate the Speaker, Majekodunmi said: “I went in utmost good faith. A man who invited me to his bedroom showed that I meant no harm. If I was after anybody’s life, would I go there in broad daylight, park my car in front of the house and enter his bedroom? That is preposterous.”
By the time The Source went to press last week, the lawmakers, who had fled their official legislative quarters in Abeokuta, over the allege plot to assassinate them were yet to return.
Notably, the attempts were said to have also been made on the governor’s life. According to The Source’s checks, the governor just returned from a medical trip abroad after he was allegedly poisoned. This was confirmed by the Chief of Staff who claimed that his boss’ security has been infiltrated by the opponents.
Majekodunmi yold reporters in Abeokuta: “On my honour, I can tell you categorically and unequivocally that the governor was poisoned a few weeks ago. He had to be rushed out of the country for treatment. We thank God he is okay. He had initial treatment abroad, came back and quietly went back for a few days for further treatment. That is why he is taking things slowly,” he told reporters in Abeokuta.
Basically, the plot to remove Governor Daniel was said to be the brainchild of politicians representing the state in Abuja. A federal minister has also being fingered as part of the plot. The minister is said to have been nominated by ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo. Lately, the relationship between Obasanjo and Governor Daniel has not being cordial. The crises of confidence between the two former allies was said to have started after the former president worked against a second term ticket for the governor.
Apart from the major players, from the state, who are all members of the same political party as the governor, politicians from neighbouring Lagos State have also been fingered as co-conspirators in the plot against the Governor Daniel administration.Governor Daniel’s spokesman told The Source that the crises is being fuelled by some Action Congress, AC, politicians from Lagos State.
The political rivalry between the former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, and the Ogun state helmsman over the leadership of the South-west region is growing by the day. Tinubu is believed to be bankrolling the activities of the opposition ANPP and AC in Ogun State to whittle down Daniel’s influence.
Those angling to remove Governor Daniel appear to have found willing tools in the state lawmakers, who are opposed to Daniel because of what one of the governor’s aide described as “Daniel’s refusal to wet the ground.”
The lawmakers were alleged to be demanding N20 million from the governor, who has refused to tow the line. “Some of the legislators had gone to obtain loans of about N15 million and they cannot pay and are now demanding to be paid N20 million each. This is no oil rich state,” the Governor’s chief of staff told journalists in Abeokuta.
But in various reactions by the legislators, they claim that the bribery’ allegation is being used by the Executive to malign and probably whip them to line.
The national secretariat of the PDP has waded into the matter, even though the parties in the political impasse have continued the mudslinging.