Abiodun defends demolition of building owned by Gbenga Daniel’s wife

Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun has defended the recent demolition of the five-story building owned by Olufunke Daniel, the wife of former governor Gbenga Daniel.

Abiodun during an inspection of the reconstruction of the 8km Mowe/Ofada Road in the Obafemi/Owode Local Government Area of the state on Monday said the demolition was not politically motivated as alleged by Daniel.

He stated that the demolition was necessary because the building contravened state laws and that the Ministry of Physical Planning had issued several warnings to the owners of the building, but Olufunke Daniel had ignored them.

The governor added that the state government has been demolishing illegal properties without making any noise about it and this recent demolition should not be seen as anything out of the ordinary, since “the law is not a respecter of VVIPs or VIPs.”

“The owners of DATKEM in their minds must have felt they were above the law because they were actually recalcitrant. It smirks of impunity if the Ministry of Physical Planning sends you a contravention order, sends you a seal order and you continue with the construction in violation of the safety of all of us in Ogun State,” Abiodun said.

“They sent you a demolition order, but you still did not respond. You begin to sneak into the building at night. You begin to work there. You begin to attempt to grease their palms so that they can overlook your contraventions. But, of course, the day of reckoning would always come.”

He commended officials of the Ministry of Physical Planning for standing their ground despite immense pressure.

Abiodun, however, warned owners of structures without authorised documents from the state government agencies that his government wouldn’t tolerate illegality.

The counsel for Olufunke Daniel, Adeyinka Kotoye, recently accused the state government of ignoring the relevant court papers served on them on Thursday, September 7, not to go ahead with the vandalisation and demolition of DATKEM Plaza belonging to the former first lady.

Kotoye said the vandalisation was carried out by some suspected political thugs who were alleged to have operated in the building under the shield of some police officers from 3:00 am to about 5:30 am Sunday morning.