A former Governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel, on Tuesday, said bad politics was responsible for the state’s failure to assume an oil-producing status.
Daniel, who governed the state between 2003 and 2011, also appealed to the Federal Government to take over the state-owned Gateway Industrial and Petro-Gas Institute, Oni.
He said this in his remarks at a two-day Ogun East Senatorial District Interactive Forum themed, ‘Challenges and Opportunities in Ogun East Senatorial District,’ which was held in Sagamu.
According to him, Ogun ought to be an oil-producing state. He stated, “By now, Ogun State should have been declared an oil-producing state but because of bad politics.
“Many of you who are politicians don’t have an understanding of what the game is all about; not everything can be said in the public domain.
“Our future and the future of our children is what we are talking about. There are great potential in Ogun State. There is oil here, but some people don’t want us to be declared an oil-producing state. They are a lot. So, if we are able to break loose these shackles, we will be in a position to reposition our area.”
The workshop had about 120 participants, drawn from the nine local government areas of the senatorial district, and was organised by the Gateway Movement in collaboration with the Political Leadership Academy.
Daniel, who is also the All Progressives Congress senatorial candidate for Ogun East in the 2023 elections, said the senatorial district is lacking in viable industries.
He added, “The biggest thing that we have to do is to restore the pride of our people and restore their confidence. Our people are fast losing their economic power.”
