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The Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State yesterday said it has placed the
state governor, Gbenga Daniel under surveillance. The party said this
is following reports that Mr Daniel is working against the presidential
ambition of Goodluck Jonathan.

Addressing a press
conference at the party secretariat located in Onikolobo area of
Abeokuta, the Chairman, Dayo Soremi accompanied by other leaders of the
party alleged that Mr Daniel held secret meetings with some leaders of
the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) to work against PDP both at state
and federal levels.

“The first of the
meetings was held at the private residence of the Ogun State ACN
governorship candidate, Ibikunle Amosun, in Ikeja GRA, last Friday
April 1.

The second of such meeting was held yesterday at the Ikoyi residence of the ACN chieftain,” Mr Soremi revealed.

“By this desperate
action of his, he has jettisoned President Jonathan, the PPN candidates
and their followers. The implication of this is that PPN will vote for
the ACN governorship candidate, Ibikunle Amosun and ACN Presidential
Candidate, Nuhu Ribadu.” The PDP leader explained further that, part of
the plot also include offer of Secretary to the State Government, to
the governorship candidate of the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN),
Isiaka Gboyega who will jettison his governorship ambition.

“We believe that
Otunba Gbenga Daniel is going into this unholy alliance with his avowed
political enemy as part of his desperation (which) in the first
instance led (him) to pick somebody who is his preferred governorship
candidate of Ogun State.”

Daniel’s reaction

However, reacting
to the press conference, the governor said the claim by PDP was
heinous, “nothing could be farther from the truth and the new phantom
claim is indicative of the desperation of Chief Soremi and his
cohorts.” In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Gbenro
Adebanjo, it added, “for the avoidance of doubt Otunba Gbenga Daniel
did not leave his Sagamu residence all through Tuesday, April 5, 2011”.

“Indeed at the
time under reference he was in a meeting with the leadership of the
Nigerian Union of Teachers led by Comrade Sam Idowu. The meeting took
place at the Library of his Asoludero residence, Sagamu.

“Anybody who is in
doubt can contact comrade Idowu and his executive members who came to
iron out issues relating to the payment of deducted check-off dues and
cooperatives remittances.” The statement added that, after the meeting
the governor gave directive that the outstanding money up to March
should be paid to the Union by the Accountant General of the state from
the excess crude money which accrued to the state, a decision that has
since been carried out to the delight of the generality of the teachers.

“So while Governor Daniel was busy charting the way forward for
Ogun State, some individuals were busy concocting new lies to be sold
to the people of Ogun State. It is very saddening that the leadership
of the PDP for pure political reason would concoct such a blatant lie
against the Governor of Ogun State.”