Ogun, Gbenga Daniel trade words as state demolishes wife’s plaza

Ogun State Government has reportedly commenced demolition of a five-storey DATKEM Plaza in Ijebu-Ode, owned by Yeye Olufunke Daniel, wife of the former Governor, Senator Gbenga Daniel.

Reacting to the demolition on Sunday, Daniel described it as an act of executive recklessness, lawlessness, and irresponsibility. Daniel’s reaction is contained in a statement issued by his lawyer, Mr Adeyinka Kotote (SAN) of P.A.G.E. law office and made available to newsmen in Abeokuta.

In the statement, the legal firm expressed shocked 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.”
He added that he believed Governor Dapo Abiodun was not informed of the illegality.

Justifying its action, the state government said, yesterday, DATKEM Plaza was an illegal structure without an approved plan, stating that the structure contravened the state’s physical planning laws.

The government, in a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Olayiwola Abiodun, said the structure violated the building codes of the state with numerous defects.

He also said efforts made by the state government to halt further development on site were ignored by the developers. He said that for a commercial building of that status, there must be parking space to accommodate vehicular traffic within and outside the facility for workers and visitors. The provision of the law is for 45 to 50 per cent of available land for construction as a buildable area.

The permanent secretary added that the building lacked stage certification, which is usually issued at every stage of construction.