Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Ogun to join oil states soon, says Daniel
From Lawrence Njoku, Enugu

THREE oil exploration sites are currently being developed by the Ogun State government with a view to making the Federal Government take them over as part of the oil wells in the country.

advertisement

Governor Gbenga Daniel, who disclosed this yesterday in Enugu where he was conferred with a chieftaincy title by the traditional ruler of Nike Community, Igwe Julius Nnaji, said with the state efforts on the exploration sites, it would soon join the league of "oil state in the next couple of months."

The governor said: "One of the things our administration did when it came on board was to conduct a survey on the resources available in the state. I can confirm to you that there is an oil and gas deposit in Ogun State. I don't want to politicise it, but I am hoping that in the next couple of months, the state would be declared as one of the oil-producing states of the country."

He said his administration has embarked upon several development projects aimed at taking the state to greater heights.

Daniel explained that as part of these efforts, he recently travelled to Hong Kong to represent the state at an economy meeting, which dividends, he assured, would soon begin to manifest in the state through partnerships with Hong Kong investors.

He denied speculations that he was nursing a presidential ambition in 2011, stressing that being lucky to rule Ogun State twice, his priority was to leave indelible development footprints all over the state.

Daniel, who also spoke on godfatherism, argued that there was nothing wrong with it, as according to him, it is a means to impact experience and wisdom on the younger generation of politicians.

He, however, added that as a politician, he would resist any godfather who would want to dictate the pace at which his administration should move or hold it back in other ways.

Daniel said the notion in some quarters that attaining a position of authority automatically makes one the leader of the people was untenable.

On his relationship with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Daniel said the latter, as the chairman, Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) remained his leader, whom he must listen to at all times.

His words: "I have no qualms with Chief Obasanjo. He is my leader, he is the chairman of our party's BOT and in the Yoruba tradition, somebody who has been Head of State and President for about 11 years, there are things he may know that I may not know as a young man. If at my age, I want to equate myself with Obasanjo, then something is wrong with my head."

He denied insinuations that he has disagreement with lawmakers in the state over mismanagement of funds, which could lead to his impeachment.

The governor said for such to be effected, the legislators must have proofs of constitutional breaches against him, stressing that he had not breached the constitution in any way.

Daniel restated the need for all zones of the federation to be giving an opportunity to rule the country.

He, however, faulted calls for the office of the President to be rotated among the zones.