A former governor of Ogun State and senator representing Ogun East, Gbenga Daniel and Governor Dapo Abiodun clashed on Thursday over allegations of neglect and underfunding of tertiary institutions in the state.
In an open letter to Abiodun, which went viral on Thursday, Daniel criticised the recent takeover of the state-owned Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun, by the Federal Government.
While acknowledging the takeover as a positive development, he blamed it on Abiodun’s failure to prioritise funding for tertiary education.
Daniel explained that his administration established TASUED in February 2005 to provide more admission opportunities for Ogun State students, as the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, could only accommodate 3,500 students.
Commending President Bola Tinubu for approving the takeover, Daniel said, “This development came at the nick of time to ensure that the 20-year-old university was not consigned to the dustbin of history due to poor funding.”
However, he also expressed concerns, calling the takeover a “bitter-sweet” experience and an “indictment on the present leadership in the state.”
“One, it appears this unilateral takeover is an indictment on our state and the inability of the government to maintain the Institution which has attained a global rating, especially when the budget of the state has now hit the one trillion naira mark.
“Our people will ask, what is the percentage of our budget that is being allocated to the development of education from such humongous budget appropriation?” he stated.
Daniel emphasised that TASUED was created not just to increase admission quotas but also to provide employment for Ogun State citizens.
“I wish our people would not come to such a hurried conclusion about government ineptitude as the reasons for this necessary acquisition when the state government has abdicated its own responsibilities to this institution,” he said.
He recalled that before his administration in 2003, the state had only two major tertiary institutions—OOU and Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta.
“Ogun State has a huge population of admission seekers, and the National Universities Commission (NUC) has a cap on the number of students who can be admitted in every cycle.
“The Olabisi Onabanjo University had about 3,500 carrying capacity. But with the establishment of TASUED, we were able to double the quotas of admission-seeking students of Ogun State origin.
“With this acquisition, Mr. Governor, those quota advantages might have gone, as the Federal Government is now empowered to appoint the leadership of the Institution, which may also come from anywhere in the country in line with the nature of our federal character system.
“Our students’ admission quota, no doubt, would have been abridged; they might benefit from the Catchment Areas system at best,” stated
Daniel further urged the state government to redirect funds saved from TASUED’s transfer to other state institutions, including the four ICT polytechnics in Igbesa, Ado-Odo/Ota, Ijebu Igbo and Sapade, as well as the Dauda Adegbenro Polytechnic in Itori and the Gateway Industrial and Petro-Gas Institute in Oni.
“All these institutions have equally suffered neglect and abandonment.
“Better still, in the event that the state Government is unable or unwilling to fund these institutions, we might as well pray for the same ‘good fortune’ that befell TASUED to visit them, to save them from the clutches of shame of abandonment,” he added.
Responding, the Special Adviser to Abiodun on Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, dismissed Daniel’s remarks as “needless criticism” and a failed attempt to undermine Tinubu’s decision to approve TASUED’s transfer.
He said, “One cannot help but question the true intent behind the senator’s much-publicised ‘open letter’ to Governor Abiodun—a document filled with mischaracterisations and insinuations.
“He accuses the governor of neglecting state-owned institutions, a claim that collapses under the weight of verifiable evidence pointing to increased investment, infrastructural development, and renewed vitality across Ogun’s educational landscape.
“As is often the case, Daniel’s outbursts seem less about facts and more about political opportunism. His remarks read more like a personal vendetta than a constructive critique. The narrative he tries to spin is as unconvincing as it is desperate.
“One might ask: Is the senator simply unsettled that this milestone—the seamless transfer of TASUED to federal ownership—happened under Governor Abiodun’s leadership?
“The governor has clarified time and again that the decision was taken in the interest of equitable distribution of federal institutions across the state, not due to any failure of funding or neglect. And rightly so.”
Akinmade also highlighted improvements in Ogun’s education sector under Abiodun, stating that TASUED had benefited from better infrastructure and increased funding.
“Now, with its new federal status, the institution stands to enjoy access to TETFUND, increased budgetary support, and stronger academic manpower—all critical for long-term excellence.
“It is perplexing that a senator who claims to advocate for future generations would resist such progress in his own constituency,” he added.(Punch)
