Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has stated that individuals and groups criticising his government are doing so because they feel intimidated by the achievements and direction of his administration.
The governor has recently come under intense criticism on social media over the poor condition of several roads across the state. Many online commentators have even described Ogun as the so-called “headquarters of bad roads” in Nigeria, with communities bordering Lagos State reportedly among the worst affected.
Tensions heightened following the arrest of a pastor, Kayode Olawoye, and two of his associates, who were later released by the Department of State Services (DSS) on Tuesday after public backlash.
Olawoye had gained widespread attention online after repeatedly highlighting the deteriorating state of roads in parts of Ogun State, drawing the issue to the notice of the state government.
However, speaking during the commissioning of the 3.5-kilometre Laderin–Prof. Wole Soyinka Train Station Road in Abeokuta, Governor Abiodun dismissed the criticisms, describing his detractors as “barking dogs” unworthy of engagement.
“We are a focused and deliberate administration. We will not be distracted by barking dogs. As the saying goes, nobody throws stones at unripe fruits,” Abiodun said.
“Anyone attacking us online only confirms how intimidating this government is. We will not respond with words. Instead, I will respond by commissioning roads every week for the next two months,” he added.
The governor further maintained that his administration has made remarkable progress in road infrastructure development across the state.
According to him, the government has constructed no fewer than 1,600 kilometres of roads over the past six years, a feat he claimed surpasses the combined efforts of the two previous administrations.
“In the last six years, my government has delivered at least 1,600 kilometres of roads, and that is no exaggeration. At the risk of sounding immodest, this is more than what the two administrations before mine achieved. They are free to challenge me because facts and figures speak for themselves,” he stated.
Abiodun also disclosed that no fewer than 20 completed road projects across the three senatorial districts of the state are ready for commissioning.
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