By Femi Ogbonnikan

These are interesting times. As it is elsewhere in other parts of the country, politics is abuzz in Ogun State. When politics takes the centre-stage, anything can happen-the thinkable and the unthinkable. And that’s precisely why arguably politics is the only field of human endeavour where one can turn logic upside down and get applause for it, particularly where susceptible audience is prevalent. Ernest Benn, a 19th century British Publisher and Writer, captured it better as he defined “Politics as the art of looking for trouble, finding it whether it exists or not, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedy.”
Benn’s postulation is a vivid characterization of Otunba Gbenga Daniel’s recent remarks about the performance of the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun during the commissioning of the “Renewed Hope International Market” in Igodè, Sagamu.
In a surprising move that arose the curiosity of the media, OGD (as he’s fondly referred) did the unthinkable, alleging that Governor Abiodun had received
a large amount of federal allocation without commensurate developmental projects and charged the people to demand accountability.
“This commissioning could have been done in a bigger town with better roads, but we chose Igodè for strategic reasons. The state government cannot continue to abandon communities like this, while sitting on record allocations from Abuja.
“The fallout of subsidy removal is that more funds have been returned to states and Local Governments. Their allocations have increased more than fourfold, and governors must now give a good account of this generosity from the President.
“With the allocations you now receive, Ogun people must not continue to suffer. Our communities must not remain in darkness, our roads must not remain death traps, and our markets must not rely on private interventions to survive,” he charged.
These remarks are overtly incisive, disparaging and misleading. They are antithetical to the core values of transparency, public trust and inclusive governance style of the Abiodun administration. The danger of it coming from a former governor is that if the audience is receptive, it can gain traction and become a widely held belief, regardless of the motive behind the outbursts.
It is needless to restate here that public accountability is a core tenet of participatory democracy. Public probity is not just a theoretical concept, but a practical necessity for a healthy and functioning democratic system. In a democratic setting, it is the obligation of government and institutions to explain and justify their actions and decisions to the public. As a matter of necessity and the need for essential social capital, the government must routinely provide information and a rationale for its policies and use of public funds.
This concern is the primary reason the Abiodun administration has adopted the policy of engaging the grassroots in town hall meetings during the budget preparation process as a consistent practice since its inception. This is a core part of the “Building Our Future Together” mantra of the administration and its commitment to an all-inclusive governance style.
Over the last six years, the administration has shifted from a traditional top-down approach to a more inclusive, bottom-up model for budget preparation. Every year, the administration, led by the Ministry of Budget and Planning, organizes a series of town hall meetings across the three senatorial districts of the state (Ogun East, Ogun Central, and Ogun West) and the four political divisions, RIYE (Remo, Ijebu, Yewa and Egba). These meetings are not just for a general audience. They are strategically designed to gather inputs from a wide range of stakeholders, including traditional rulers, artisans, market men and women, youth and student representatives, civil society organizations, professional bodies, trade unions, and community development associations.
During these meetings, citizens are given a platform to express their needs and present their proposals directly to the government. This direct feedback is then documented and considered by the administration’s budget team.
The aim is to incorporate a high percentage of the inputs from these meetings into the final budget proposal. For instance, a significant portion of the demands made at the various town hall meetings were incorporated into the 2025 budget proposal passed by the State Assembly. This approach is a key element of the administration’s political and governance strategy, and it aligns with the principle of participatory democracy.
By publicly soliciting inputs from the grassroots, the administration creates a basis for public accountability. With the initiative, citizens can then monitor the implementation of the budget to see if the projects they requested have been included and executed.
Taking into cognizance the possibility of malicious cynicism, this practice has been meticulously followed by the government to demonstrate that it is listening to the people. And not only that it has helped to build public trust but also promotes a sense of shared ownership over the state’s development.
To a great extent, the town hall meetings have equally helped the government to prioritize projects based on the real and articulated needs of the people, rather than on the whims and caprices of political elites. Contrary to OGD’s cynical comment on community neglect, the government’s focus has been on rural roads, primary healthcare centers, and schools as a direct result of broad consultations.
This practice serves to distinguish the Abiodun administration from previous governments, portraying it as more responsive and inclusive. It is a powerful political tool that has been used to counter accusations of being disconnected from the populace.
The practice of engaging the grassroots in town hall meetings for budget preparation is a key feature of the Abiodun administration. It is a deliberate move to institutionalize citizen engagement, promote transparency, and create a
governance model that is more directly responsive to the needs and demands of the people.
Regrettably, Senator Daniel ignored these core values when it charged Governor Abiodun on accountability. Reading between the lines, his curious quest for accountability is a political maneuvering, where logical consistency and objective facts can be subordinated to strategic gain. So, in all intents and purposes, OGD is merely trying to use accountability issue as a core principle of good governance to fight a battle that is widely perceived to be a self- preservation strategy. By raising issues of public accountability, he is attempting to clothe his political ambition in the garb of public good. But beneath the facade is a clear desire for future political relevance.
Beyond rhetoric, Governor Abiodun’s performance in the last six years transcends narrow exclusion of any particular section of the state or community. His administration’s score card in all indices of development, including economic prosperity infrastructure, healthcare delivery and human capital development index, remains unbeatable. In the first place, the emergence of the state as one of the most economically viable states that are independent of federal allocation under the administration is a well-documented claim supported by figures and a number of independent reports. This did not happen by accident. It is a direct result of infrastructure transformation agenda of the Abiodun administration.
Statistics show that Ogun State economy has quadrupled in size from N3.5 trillion in 2019 to N16 trillion in 2025. This growth, according to the government, is a direct result of its strategic investments and policies aimed at making the state a preferred destination for investors.
In terms of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) Performance, Ogun State has consistently been ranked as one of the top-performing states in Nigeria, coming second only to Lagos State. The enhanced IGR capacity is a key metric that indicates the state’s economic viability and its ability to fund its own projects without relying heavily on federal allocations. And, of course, this significant milestone has a direct link with policy initiative of the administration which centres around the use of technology, reforms in land administration, as well as the creation of an environment that encourages businesses to thrive and pay taxes.
The role of infrastructure in attracting investment is evident in the rapidly growing number of industries that have transformed the state’s economy from dependency syndrome to a self-sustaining entity. The core of the administration’s pride is that its infrastructure projects are not just for transportation but are a catalyst for economic growth. By focusing on key arterial roads that connect industrial hubs to Lagos, the administration has made it easier for businesses to transport goods and raw materials. Examples include the Ijebu-Ode/Epe Expressway and the Atan/Lusada/Agbara road. These projects are crucial for the seamless movement of commerce and have been praised by manufacturers and business owners.
The flagship infrastructure project of the Abiodun administration is the Gateway International Airport (GIA). Yet, OGD, in his public comment, introduced an intriguing dimension to this when he acknowledged Abiodun’s role in sustaining the airport project but warned against any attempt to rewrite its history. While it is undeniable that the project conception took place under his past administration, it would have remained a paper tiger if Governor Abiodun had not taken up the challenge of the implementation and pursued it with a passion. Vision without a passion is like a bird without wings. It can not fly.
No thanks for the digression. As a major game-changer, the Airport is envisioned as a cargo and logistics hub that will significantly boost the state’s economy by facilitating exports and imports, attracting new businesses, and creating jobs.
Ogun State currently tops the chart in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) attraction. Apart from the big industries already operating in the state, the government has consistently announced new investment pledges and the establishment of new factories and businesses. For instance, the administration recently announced a major investment pledge for a Disneyland-style resort, which is a testament to the state’s growing reputation as a top investment destination.
The latest in the long list of potential investors seeking for a space to berth in the state is the Taiwanese multinational conglomerate and global tech giant, Foxconn, which has expressed interest in setting up its manufacturing plant in Ogun State.
AVP, Corporate BD Chairman Office, Mr. Vincent Lee, disclosed this over the weekend when he led a delegation to meet Governor Abiodun, at the Gateway City Gate Interchange, along the Abeokuta-Sagamu Expressway.
He said the delegation was in the state to explore business opportunities with a view to establishing their operations.
According to Mr. Lee, his organization is the world’s largest contract electronics manufacturer, with an annual revenue base of over $200 billion, employing thousands in its various manufacturing plants.
Governor Abiodun, while receiving the delegation, highlighted Ogun’s unique advantages-which include its strategic location, industrial base, skilled workforce, and supportive policy environment-which serve as a major attraction to the global community.
He said the introduction of advanced geo-mapping systems has led to transparency, efficiency, and accountability in land allocation, which, apart from preventing multiple allocations and closing loopholes, had built investors’ confidence by providing clear, reliable, and accessible land data and bolsters the State’s revenue.
“By leveraging private investors’ acumen and a forward-looking development strategy, Ogun has emerged as a shining example of how sub-national governments can thrive in a challenging economic environment,” Governor Abiodun submitted.
According to him, these investments are a direct result of the improved infrastructure and the administration’s investor-friendly policies, such as the digitization of land allocation processes.
One of the high points of the Abiodun administration’s policy is its deliberate focus on connecting industrial clusters, reducing the cost of doing business through improved infrastructure, and a more transparent approach to governance. This has indeed transformed the state’s economic landscape, leading to its high performance on key economic indices.

Ogbonnikan is a Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Ogun State Governor on Media