External interference orchestrated Ogun crisis -Daniel

Taiwo Adisa, Abuja - 03.06.2009

Governor Gbenga Daniel on Tuesday said some unnamed external factors orchestrated the division between him and members of the state House of Assembly.

Governor Daniel, who appeared before the Senate Committee on Ethics and Public Petitions headed by Senator Omar Hambagda, said the petition brought to the Senate against him by members of the G15 in the state Assembly was “a mere fabrication and falsehood.”

The governor said the petition against him was influenced by personal ambition and political agenda.

The G15 members of the state House of Assembly, led by the Speaker, Honourable Tunji Egbetokun, had petitioned the Senate through Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, to complain insecurity and allegations that the state government was orchestrating violence against the Assembly.

But the governor said the crisis was orchestrated by external factors, who were bent on making the state ungovernable for him.

Senator Hambagda said investigations had shown that members of the state Assembly failed to show maturity in handling their complaints.

“There were a lot of inconsistencies and youthful exuberance in the presentation of members of the Ogun State House of Assembly. Your Excellency, we commend your mature way of handling the matter and urge you to continue,” he said.

Speaking before the committee, the governor said “I think some people have ambition and they think what they need to do is to remove the governor.

“I forgot to say that until last December, the House was getting N25 million but in 2009 budget, they appropriated N135 million for themselves. After mediation, we earmarked N30 million for them. That means they have N25 million for recurrent and N5 million for capital expenditures.”

Daniel said while he did not say the next governor would come from one or the other senatorial district, the fact remains that out of the three senatorial districts, two had produced governors.