The Ogun State Government has dismissed as blackmail and reckless defamation allegations by a Labour Party chieftain, Mr. Arabambi Abayomi, that the administration of Dapo Abiodun is selling government-owned housing assets, including the Ibara Government Reserved Area (GRA).
The government described Abayomi as an attention-seeking rabble-rouser with a penchant for blackmail, alleging that his claims were motivated by resentment after he was kept at arm’s length by the administration.
In a statement issued on Tuesday in Abeokuta, the Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to the Governor, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, said the allegations were misleading and deliberately aimed at distorting the state’s ongoing urban renewal programme.
Akinmade said it was ironic for Abayomi to portray the revitalisation of GRAs across the state as the sale of public assets, noting that the initiative had received commendation from eminent Nigerians.
He recalled that former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Alake of Egbaland, Adedotun Gbadebo, and the General Overseer of Citadel Global Community Church, Tunde Bakare, had all praised the projects, which are transforming GRAs into modern smart cities.
“The fact is well known that Ogun State’s urban renewal programme for Government Reserved Areas involves transforming dilapidated houses and shanties into modern, vibrant smart cities,” Akinmade said.
He explained that the programme covers GRAs in Ibara and Idi-Aba (Abeokuta), Igbeba (Ijebu-Ode), Ilaro, and Ota, and includes the rehabilitation of old structures, the construction of new housing units, and the provision of modern infrastructure such as roads, drainage, water supply, and electricity.
According to him, the project spans over 100 hectares, with plans for 500 housing units in Ibara and 100 units in Idi-Aba, adding that more than 150 houses have already been completed.
Akinmade further alleged that Abayomi had previously organised several press conferences praising Governor Abiodun in an attempt to ingratiate himself with the government, but became hostile after what he described as the discovery of his “multiple faces” and his subsequent sidelining.
“GRAs are the exclusive preserve of government. What responsible governments do is clear shanties and replace them with modern developments, which is exactly what the Abiodun administration is doing,” he said.
He accused the Labour Party chieftain of habitually seeking relevance by attacking governments that declined to patronise him and urged the public to disregard his claims.
“Instead of focusing on rebuilding his party, he is busy chasing shadows. We know him very well, and nothing he says can be taken seriously by this government,” Akinmade said.
