$7bn Deep Seaport: Ogun govt tackles PDP candidate over alleged ‘Broken Promise’ remark

The Ogun State Government has strongly condemned the description of the proposed $7 billion Gateway Deep Seaport investment as “another broken promise” by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senatorial candidate for Ogun East, Abdul-Hameed Omotayo, describing the remark as a reckless distortion of facts, an attempt to politicise a landmark investment and evidence of disregard for the economic prospects of the state.

In a statement on Saturday, the government accused Omotayo of playing dirty politics with an investment initiative backed by formal agreements signed with global port operator DP World in Paris on 24 September 2026, insisting that the agreements, investment commitments and plans for the proposed Gateway Deep Seaport and Blue Marine Special Economic Zone were matters of public record that could be independently verified.

The government said it was particularly troubling that a candidate seeking to represent Ogun East in the Senate would dismiss an investment expected to transform the economic landscape of the host corridor, create employment opportunities and strengthen the state’s industrial and maritime capacity without adequately engaging with the facts surrounding the project.

The statement, signed by the Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to Governor Dapo Abiodun, Kayode Akinmade, said the agreements covering the proposed Gateway Deep Seaport and Blue Marine Special Economic Zone were signed in the presence of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, and DP World Group Chief Executive Officer, Yuvraj Narayan.

According to the government, the participation of senior Nigerian officials and the leadership of the international port operator underscored the significance of the agreements and the scale of the proposed investment, which is expected to strengthen Ogun State’s maritime infrastructure, expand industrial activities and create employment opportunities.

The government also cited a statement from the State House, signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, which reported an initial investment exceeding $7 billion and projected the creation of 50,000 direct jobs.

It maintained that the project should be assessed on the basis of the agreements reached, the commitments made by the parties and verifiable milestones towards implementation.

“How can you describe the deep seaport as another broken promise when concrete steps have been taken to advance the project?” the statement asked.

Akinmade said the multiplier effects of major infrastructure investments were too significant to be dismissed on partisan grounds, adding that the initiative had attracted commendation from residents who recognised its potential to expand economic opportunities, attract businesses and create jobs.

He accused Omotayo of being economical with the truth, insisting that responsible political discourse required an appreciation of the distinction between a project backed by formal investment agreements and one that existed only as an announcement.

He stressed that signing an investment agreement marked an important step in the development process, while acknowledging that financing arrangements, regulatory approvals and construction were among the subsequent stages required to bring the project to fruition.

The government also described as laughable Omotayo’s boast that he would defeat Abiodun before noon on election day, dismissing it as political bravado that failed to address the substantive development issues confronting Ogun East.

It characterised the PDP candidate as a political daydreamer, arguing that his focus on electoral boasts rather than the details of major investment initiatives raised questions about his understanding of governance and the processes involved in delivering large-scale infrastructure projects.

Akinmade further questioned the PDP’s political credibility and direction, citing the exclusion of its governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu, and his running mate from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) final list of candidates for the 2027 Ogun governorship election.

He said the development followed INEC’s enforcement of statutory requirements governing the submission of party membership registers, adding that the controversy raised questions about the PDP’s internal processes and compliance with electoral regulations.

According to him, the party should address its internal challenges rather than seek to discredit investment initiatives with far-reaching economic implications for Ogun State.

The government maintained that political criticism should be grounded in facts and substantive engagement with policy issues, rather than unsupported allegations or declarations about electoral victory.

On infrastructure development in Ogun East, Akinmade said the Abiodun administration had constructed and rehabilitated more than 243.3 kilometres of roads in the district since 2019, as part of a statewide total exceeding 1,600 kilometres across the 20 local government areas.

Among the projects he cited were the Ijebu-Ode–Mojoda–Epe Road, Sagamu–Iperu–Ode–Sapaade Road, Ejirin–Idowa–Ibefun–Itokin Road in Odogbolu, Tam Balogun Road in Ijebu-Ode and Imodi–Imosan Road.

He also referenced the approval of the J4–Gao Road in Ogun Waterside, alongside the administration’s reported delivery of more than 150 blocks of classrooms, primary healthcare interventions across the district and the Gateway International Agro-Cargo Airport at Iperu-Remo.

The government said the projects formed part of its broader development agenda aimed at improving connectivity, expanding access to essential services and creating an environment conducive to economic growth across the state.

“These are tangible development interventions whose details can be examined and verified. The debate should be about facts, project delivery and the future of Ogun East, not unsupported allegations,” Akinmade said.

The administration maintained that its infrastructure programme and investment initiatives provided a basis for assessing its development record, urging political stakeholders to subject their claims to scrutiny against available evidence.

It also called on residents to distinguish between project announcements, the agreements underpinning them and the subsequent stages required for implementation, stressing that the progress of the proposed Gateway Deep Seaport should be assessed against verifiable developments.

The Gateway Deep Seaport and Blue Marine Special Economic Zone are expected to expand Ogun State’s maritime and industrial capacity, attract domestic and international investment, strengthen logistics and trade, and generate employment opportunities, subject to the successful implementation of the agreements.

The government reiterated its commitment to pursuing investments and infrastructure projects that would broaden the state’s economic base, stimulate private-sector growth and support long-term development.