Demolition of my wife's property, act of executive recklessness - Daniel

By Editor

Former Ogun Governor, Gbenga Daniel has described the demolition of his wife's property in Ijebu Ode, by the Ogun government as an act of executive recklessness, lawlessness and irresponsibility.

Daniel stated this on Sunday, while reacting to the demolition of DATKEM Plaza, located at Folagbade Street, Ijebu Ode, through a release issued by his lawyer, Mr Adeyinka Kotote (SAN) of P.A.G.E Law office and made available to newsmen in Abeokuta.

It would be recalled that agents of the Ogun government in the early hours of Sunday, demolished DATKEM plaza in Ijebu Ode belonging to a former first lady of the state, Olufunke Daniel.

According to the release, the legal firm expressed shocked and miffed that the state government ignored court papers served on its agents on Thursday, September 7, asking them to stop all actions on the building. 

"This matter began when the Ogun State Planning and Development Authority sealed the building on August 1 without any prior notice.

"Interestingly, a quit notice was only served on August 31, by the same Planning and Development Authority asking the owner to vacate the premises within three days.

"DATKEM applied for unsealing and regularisation of the building on August 2 and paid the mandatory fee of N500, 000 to the Ogun state government. We have evidence of this payment. 

" However, we were shocked and astonished that the Ogun state government ignored the ongoing legal process and went ahead to demolish the complex in the early hours of Sunday. We want to believe the State Attorney General's advice was ignored on this matter.

"Our clients, as law abiding citizens of Ogun state, will continue to seek redress in the courts. Even when our clients have suffered unimaginable and huge losses as a result of this illegal demolition, we will not relent in pursuing justice in the courts," he said.

He added that he believed Governor Dapo Abiodun was not informed of the illegality. 

"But if he was informed and still decided to use the instruments of the state against our clients, it is nothing but executive recklessness. But we will continue to fight for justice and ensure that our clients," the release stated.