GBENGA DANIEL KICKS OVER PLANNED DEMOLITION OF HIS HOUSE, HOTELS BY OGUN GOVT

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Agency report

Former Ogun State governor and Senator representing Ogun East, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, on Saturday alleged that Governor Dapo Abiodun ordered the demolition of his Sagamu private residence, The Asoludero Court, Conference Hotels Limited, and the hotel annexe in Sagamu.

In a statement signed by his media aide, Steve Oliyide, Daniel said the governor’s directive was contained in notices of contravention, quit, and threat of demolition within three days, which were pasted on the properties on Friday, August 8, at about 4 p.m.

Copies of the notices, sent to journalists, stated that the properties violated provisions of the state’s 2022 Urban and Regional Planning Law.

Daniel, however, described the allegations against him as laughable and deeply rooted in a thuggish and political vindictiveness at its highest level.

He maintained that the planned demolition amounted to a clear political persecution and should be condemned.

According to him, “The documents, concerning these properties cite ‘suspected’ offences related to construction without adequate permits (which is laughable).

“This is a ludicrous and flimsy excuse, as the properties in question have been in existence for many years.

“For instance, the Asoludero Court was built in 2004, while the Conference Hotel, Sagamu was built in 2013, and the Annex since 2015.

“The governor’s administration is now attempting to use the Ogun State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law No. 61 of 2022 to demolish buildings that were legally constructed long before the law was even in existence.

“This action is not only politically motivated but also a blatant disregard for due process and the rule of law. The notices in themselves are clear breaches of procedures which allows adequate time intervals between

“Notifications on contraventions, quits and the penalties, if indeed there was any, is not a demolition or a threat of it.

“Governor Abiodun’s administration has completely bypassed this procedure, issuing a ‘Notice of Contravention’ and a ‘Notice to Quit’ simultaneously, with an immediate threat of demolition.

“This is not a legal process; it is a thuggish tactic designed to intimidate and inflict damage.”

Disclosing further, the former governor stated that the latest act of persecution follows a similar pattern of illegal demolitions carried out by Abiodun’s administration sometimes in 2023.

He said that, “We recall with disgust the illegal demolition of DATKEM Plaza Ijebu Ode, a property belonging to the wife of Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Yeye Olufunke Daniel in the midnight of September, 2023 by thugs believed to be working on the orders of the governor as no government agent will be sent on such assignment at ungodly hours of the night, even on a weekend on equally flimsy excuses.

“The matter is currently in court, and the state has already lost several applications at the Ogun State High Court and another at the Court of Appeal in Ibadan, a clear indication that their actions lack legal merit”

Daniel decried what he described as the state government’s descent into “political vindictiveness to a shameful and dangerous level,” accusing it of acting without regard for existing laws or basic decency.

He stated, “We call on all well-meaning citizens, human rights organisations, and legal bodies to stand with us in condemning this egregious abuse of power.

“We will not be silent in the face of this injustice and will use all legal means at our disposal to ensure that Governor Abiodun is held accountable for his lawless actions.”

When contacted, the Special Adviser to Governor Abiodun on Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, said, “Give me few minutes. I will get back to you.”

Later, reacting to the allegation, Akinmade explained that the government was not targeting the Senator but was merely conducting a review of the document validity of estates in the state.

He said, “Most of them have violated building plans and the letter was not sent to him alone and that is not true.

“And if your papers are genuine, why is he panicking?

“Nobody is after anybody, the government is only taking stock of buildings with similar violations and that is all.

“Although, we are working on a comprehensive statement that we would also send to you when it is ready.”