It is often said that when a man is carried on the back of a giant, he might eventually mistake his elevated view for his own height. The recent statement by Ola Muritala is a classic case of political vertigo.
To the good people of Ijebu North East and Ogun State, let us move past the Awada Kerikeri and look at the cold, hard facts:
- The 19,517 Factor (The Math Does Not Lie)
In 2019, Prince Dapo Abiodun won the governorship with a slim margin of exactly 19,517 votes. At that time, the APC was fractured and facing an internal civil war against the then sitting Governor’s preferred candidate. It was the entry of the OGD structure, the most formidable political machinery in the state, that provided the oxygen for that victory. To say a man who provided the winning margin was marking attendance is not just bad politics; it is bad arithmetic. - Prince Dapo Abiodun’s Pilgrimage to Asoludero Court in Sagamu
If Senator Gbenga Daniel was politically finished in 2018, why did the Abiodun campaign make a holy pilgrimage to his residence in Sagamu? You do not seek the endorsement and structure of a crippled man when you are heading into the battle of your life. They came because they knew that in Ogun State, OGD’s Yes carries the weight of thousands of dedicated foot soldiers across all 236 wards. - The End of Political Hostility
The Governor’s aide talks about the release of properties as if it were a gift. Let us set the record straight. Those properties were illegally and spitefully sealed by a previous administration that has since left power. With that hostile government out of the way, the natural and legal next step was for the rightful owner to take back his property. Ending an illegality is a basic requirement of office, not a personal favor to be used for political emotional blackmail. - The 2023 Verdict: A Tale of Two Numbers
If the Governor indeed reset OGD politically, the 2023 election results tell a completely different story. In that election, Senator Gbenga Daniel polled a massive 115,147 votes to secure his seat. In contrast, the Governor managed only about 86,000 votes in the same senatorial district, with nearly half of that number being contested in court. If the benefactor is supposedly more powerful than the beneficiary, why did the people show such an overwhelming preference for the Senator? The voters of Ogun East have already spoken with their thumbs. - The Absence of Support
The claim of a political rescue mission is further exposed by the actions of the Governor himself. If there was a genuine alliance or a debt of gratitude, why did Prince Dapo Abiodun refuse to attend even a single rally held by OGD throughout the entire 2023 campaign? Senator Gbenga Daniel led a grueling Mega -Campaign train that covered 11 Stats Constituencies and a rigorous ward to ward campaign reaching all 103 wards in the Ogun East Senatorial District. Despite this massive mobilization, the Governor was nowhere to be found. True leaders show up for their partners. OGD stood on his own merit, his own legacy, and his own deep connection with the masses to win his seat. - Who is Truly Joking?
The real Awada Kerikeri is the attempt to rewrite history while the ink is still wet. You cannot use a man’s ladder to climb to the roof and then claim you flew there.
Senator Gbenga Daniel remains a pillar of Ogun politics, not by the leave of any man, but by the grace of God and a lifetime of service.
We advise the New Media team to focus on the challenges facing our state rather than trying to diminish a legacy that is already written in stone.
Signed:
Caleb Adeoga,
Media Aide to Senator Gbenga Daniel (OGD)
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