Residents of Sagamu have erupted in anger after the Ogun State Government abruptly suspended a federal road reconstruction project that had been approved under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, describing the move as an attempt by Governor Dapo Abiodun to undermine the Federal Government.
The project in question—the Paddy-Arikawe–Oye Igbimo Road—was awarded by the Presidency to Minim and Tonye Nigeria Limited through the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA). The intervention was facilitated by Senator Otunba Gbenga Daniel, representing Ogun East, in a bid to bring long-overdue development to Sagamu and adjoining communities.
However, within just 24 hours of commencement, the contractor was ordered to down tools. In a letter signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ogun State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Dr Yusuf L.O., the state government directed the immediate suspension of work, claiming that the contractor had failed to obtain the “necessary permit/clearance” from the state before starting. The letter further accused the Presidency of “negating the normal due process” by initiating construction on what it described as a “state government road.”
The explanation has sparked fury among residents, who see the move as a direct affront to President Tinubu’s effort to deliver federal dividends of democracy.
“There are thousands of dilapidated roads across Ogun begging for attention, yet instead of welcoming a federal project, the governor is blocking it. This is the height of insensitivity. He has no empathy for the people,” fumed one resident.
Another resident went further, calling the suspension “a slap in President Tinubu’s face.”
“This is not Senator Daniel’s private initiative. It is a federal intervention backed by the Presidency. Instead of embracing it, the governor is frustrating it because of politics.”
Sources familiar with the project revealed that the BCDA mobilised to site on Wednesday, only for the state government to issue a stop-work order by Thursday. “The speed and hostility with which this project was halted is unprecedented and discouraging,” one source lamented.
Political Undertones and Old Rivalries
The development has raised eyebrows among analysts, who believe the action could inflame lingering political tensions between President Tinubu and Governor Abiodun. Many recall that during the 2023 APC presidential primaries, Abiodun openly backed former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo against Tinubu—a rift insiders say has never fully healed.
While no direct link has been officially made between that rivalry and the stoppage, the timing and manner of the suspension have led Sagamu residents to suspect political undertones.
“This is not the first time,” a community leader alleged. “Even Aiyepe Road suffered the same fate. Anytime Senator Daniel attracts a project, Governor Abiodun finds a way to frustrate it. It is as if he cannot stand any development not credited to his administration.”
Residents Insist Development Must Trump Bureaucracy
Sagamu residents, who say successive Ogun administrations have abandoned major road arteries for decades, insist the governor’s excuse of “due process” is unacceptable. They point out that the Paddy-Arikawe Road has been neglected since Daniel’s exit from office in 2011, and argue that Tinubu’s intervention should not be stalled by bureaucracy.
“President Tinubu is trying to fix what others have neglected for years,” one angry resident told our correspondent. “Governor Abiodun may hide behind procedure, but the people see the politics at play. We will remember this in 2027.”
The standoff underscores a deeper struggle over ownership of developmental credit between the federal and state governments—one that may carry political consequences for both Abiodun and Tinubu in the years ahead.
Folami David is a dynamic journalist who views the world through an analytical lens, translating complex narratives across multiple industries into compelling stories. With an insatiable appetite for information and a keen eye for emerging trends, Folami specializes in uncovering the interconnections between technology, business, culture, and society.
