Like the Biblical Daniel in the Lions den, Former Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel said he passed through harrowing and tempestuous persecution for eleven years on political trial strewn with thorns, bats and vampires after leaving office.
NIGERIAN NEWSTRACK reports that Daniel made this known on Sunday in a paper titled, “The Daniel Odyssey: A journey through the Courts, made available at a church thanksgiving service to celebrate his final victory from malicious trial instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in conjunction with Ogun State Government under former Governor Ibikunle Amosun.
The former Governor at the Abrahams Tabernacle Church, Sagamu in the paper, recalled that on completion of his term when he handed over on May 29, 2011 to his successor, Ibikunle Amosun, he secured the needed clearance from the Commissioner of Police and the State Director, Department of Security Service (DSS) and left for United Kingdom.
“After handing over on the 29th of May 2011, looking back, I felt I was a fulfilled man, turning around the fortunes of the state and impacting on the lives of many positively. I therefore decided to board the British Airways flight to London to rest from the stress of eight years of hardwork”, he recalled.
Daniel said to his amazement, on arrival in London, and just settling down to much needed rest, he started receiving several calls from concerned citizens about his whereabouts, adding that some of the calls were mischievous, to confirm speculations which was already flying around about his purported arrest in London.
The former Governor said at this stage, he consulted his family and legal team, and was advised he should return to the country, to face whatever allegations that might have been raised against him, explaining that he heeded to the advice because he had no skeleton in his cupboard.
“Living in strong conviction that I have no untoward in my closet . I heeded the advice of my family and legal team, even at my most inconvenience. My entire eight years of stewardship as the Governor of Ogun State (2003-2011) was a clear signpost. I jumped into the next available plane back to Nigeria”, he said.
Daniel going memory lane said on his arrival, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) swooped on his Sagamu residence,combing all areas to proofs of graft to no avail, and was thereafter transported to the commission office in Lagos, then onward to their headquarters in Abuja.
The former Governor said that was the painful start of the 13 days of hurtful detention for serving Ogun State, and was eventually arraigned on October 11, 2011 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on allegations which fell flat after eleven years of trial in the face of the law and remained unproven.
The EFCC arraigned him on a 32-count charge, bordering on alleged false declaration of assets, land allocations and ‘underpayment’ of values and alleged mismanagement of N211.3 million Ogun State fund.
But, Daniel, through his counsels led by Professor Taiwo Osipitan, filed a “no case submission”, debunking all the allegations.
In 2019, the Ogun State High Court hearing the case since 2011, knocked out 15 out of the 32 counts, leaving Daniel to open his defence on the remaining 17 counts.
But, he approached an appellate court in Ibadan and the Court of Appeal led by Yargata Nimpar discharged him on all the counts.
Speaking to journalists, the Ogun East senatorial aspirant maintained that he neither stole lands nor money as governor.
While conceding that he is not a saint, Daniel, however, said he did everything right to the best of his knowledge.
When asked if he was not worried during his trial when some of his fellow former governors being tried were sent to jail for funds misappropriation, Daniel said he used to feel strong that God would vindicate him, but he got worried at times.
“What I was sure of is that, I am not a saint, but I did everything right to the best of my knowledge. I don’t know how anyone will say I stole the land on which this (Abraham Tabernacle) church was built. I don’t even know who the complainant is. The land was paid for, the church is not for profit-making. We donated the church back to the Baptist convention.
“Another one is The Church of the Lord in Ogere, where we gave them a land to build a university. How do we turn things around in the nation if we don’t encourage this kind of thing? What’s my duty as a governor? I’m supposed to look at areas where people need support and help them.
“The perception was that everybody is taking money. Do you take money from the church?
“Those are the things I had to face; and quite honestly, I felt strong, felt God will vindicate me, but there are certain times I got worried because when you see what is happening, you wonder. I think the tragedy is, in whatever we do, we must not see every single person as a thief. Because, there must be consequence for doing bad and appreciation for doing right. But when you have a society where those that do right are being persecuted, there will be no incentive for doing right. That’s my own worry,” he submitted.
OGD, as he is fondly addressed, commended the judiciary for standing by the truth, saying: “Let me end this thanksgiving by saluting the judiciary, I have a strong belief that the judiciary being the last chance of a common man is the only succour that our country continues to have.
“I am praising the judiciary today that, despite the challenges they have, the difficulties they have encountered, (because it is not easy to decide who is wrong or who is right in our country), but for the judiciary to stand and decipher and come to the kind of judgment they gave, I want to dedicate this victory to them. They failed to succumb to pressure.”
In his sermon, the Retired Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Dr Sunday Makinde, congratulated Daniel for his triumph over the trial.
Makinde implored Christians to imbibe the spirit of praises and thanksgiving to God at all times.
The thanksgiving service was well attended as families, friends and political associates among others joined the former Governor to rejoice.
