Authorities from the Ogun State Planning and Development Permit Authority (OSPPA) on Monday sealed several high-value properties belonging to former Governor and current Senator representing Ogun East, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, citing alleged breaches of state urban development laws.
The enforcement exercise affected Asoludero Court and the Conference Hotels, including its annex, all located within the Sagamu Government Reserved Area. Fresh sealing and demolition notices were placed on the premises, in reference to the Ogun State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law No. 61 of 2022.
This action comes just days after an earlier quit notice was served on the management of the properties, directing them to produce all relevant planning approvals within 24 hours or face the risk of demolition.
According to documents obtained by Nigerian NewsDirect, the sealing notice reads: “Sequel to our previous Notice of Contravention, Notice to Stop Work, and Notice to Quit served on you/the development, to which you have not responded, your development/property is hereby sealed off forthwith preparatory for its demolition.”
It adds that the agency “will not be liable for any loss suffered by you or claim for compensation whatsoever during the period the property/development is under seal,” and explicitly prohibits any form of tampering with the official seal.
The accompanying demolition notice, dated the same day, instructed that the “contravention be removed within three days of the service of this notice,” warning that failure to comply would result in demolition, with the cost to be recovered from the property owner.
The enforcement has intensified public interest in the growing political and legal standoff between Senator Daniel and the Ogun State government under Governor Dapo Abiodun. The senator, who governed the state between 2003 and 2011, has described the move as targeted and unlawful.
Commenting, Senator Daniel claimed that the affected structures were lawfully erected prior to the enactment of the 2022 urban planning legislation and therefore should not be subject to retrospective enforcement.
“This move is not only politically motivated but also a blatant disregard for due process and the rule of law,” the statement said.
He contended that the new law was being selectively applied as a tool of political intimidation, undermining both legal precedent and the principles of democracy.
Although the state government has yet to issue a detailed public statement beyond the enforcement notices, it had previously rejected Daniel’s allegations, maintaining that the law applies equally to all citizens. A prior response from government officials noted that “no one is bigger than the state.”
The administration insists that the enforcement is based on statutory requirements intended to promote orderly development and ensure public safety, and that the actions taken so far have followed due legal process.
As the matter unfolds, legal experts and political observers alike are watching closely, with some raising questions over the retroactive application of the planning law and the broader implications for property rights and governance in the state.
