……I won’t be distracted by political rhetoric, says Governor
Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to road development across the state, explaining that the economic importance of each project largely determines its priority status.
Speaking in Abeokuta, the state capital, Governor Abiodun said his government’s focus on infrastructure was driven by a desire to enhance the socio-economic standing of the Gateway State and to deliver the dividends of democracy to all residents.
He emphasised that his administration would remain focused and not be distracted by what he described as “rhetoric from armchair critics and fault-finders.”
“Ogun State has the longest stretch of federal, state, and local government roads in the country, most of which were in deplorable condition when we came on board,” Abiodun said.
The governor explained that his government consulted widely with stakeholders to identify roads with the greatest economic significance—those connecting industrial hubs, neighbouring states, and farming communities to markets.
“We have prioritised roads that link Ogun to adjacent states—whether intra-state, inter-state, or farm-to-market roads—because of their impact on trade, industry, and everyday life,” he added.
Abiodun noted that his administration had reconstructed every major expressway connecting Ogun to Lagos and other neighbouring states.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we have reconstructed every major expressway connecting Lagos State to Ogun State. Is it Agbara–Atan–Lusada that was once impassable or the Epe–Ijebu-Ode Expressway that used to take hours? Between Epe and Ijebu-Ode now takes just 12 minutes, and it’s a world-class road,” the governor stated.
He added that the state built one of the dual carriageways while another was facilitated through the Dangote Group under the federal tax credit scheme.
Abiodun also highlighted ongoing work on the Lagos–Ota–Abeokuta Expressway, which he described as the second busiest in Nigeria.
“We met that road in a terrible state because it was abandoned by past administrations, but we saw its economic importance and fought to take it over. Today, reconstruction from the Interchange to Papalanto is ongoing in reinforced concrete, in partnership with a private company under a tax credit arrangement,” he said.
The governor further recalled that his administration had rebuilt the Abeokuta–Sagamu Road, which he described as “one of the worst roads ever constructed in the state’s history.”
“That road claimed many lives during the last administration, but we took it upon ourselves to rebuild it properly. We are committed to fixing what we inherited, not making excuses,” he stressed.
Abiodun dismissed criticisms from what he termed “disgruntled politicians,” describing their comments as politically motivated.
“We will continue to remain focused despite the sponsored barking of some naysayers. I am not one to respond to the frivolous rhetoric of frustrated politicians. This is governance, not politics,” he said.
“Some former governors didn’t know what they were doing, but now that they see a governor in action, instead of applauding, they resort to cheap political talk. Performance is undeniable—you can sponsor all the posts on Twitter and Facebook, but people can see what we’re doing. We’ve done almost 1,500 kilometres of roads, unprecedented in the state’s history,” he added.
Beyond roads, Governor Abiodun said his administration had implemented a multi-modal transportation master plan, culminating in the construction of the state’s new airport.
“Every indicator showed Ogun needed an airport, and today we have built the best-equipped airport in Nigeria. Passenger flights are full, and we’re expanding capacity as part of our Aerotropolis project,” he said.
Highlighting the broader economic gains of his administration, Abiodun said Ogun had become one of Nigeria’s fastest-growing and safest states.
“Ogun State is the fastest developing economy in Nigeria today and one of the safest, if not the safest. Our internal revenue has quadrupled, and our GDP has grown from ₦3.56 trillion to ₦17 trillion. So, what are they talking about?” he queried.