Labour Party (LP) has threatened to institute a legal battle against the Ogun State government over the claim of alleged sales of publicly-owned assets, including the Ibara Housing Estate and properties under the state’s Housing Corporation.

The party warned that it would engage its lawyer, Prof. Yemi Oke (SAN), who had been briefed on the development, to institute legal action if a call to stop the alleged sales of the housing properties is ignored.

LP, through its National Vice Chairman (Southwest), Abayomi Arabambi, accused the Governor Dapo Abiodun-led administration of allegedly selling off public housing properties built with taxpayers’ fund, saying such act would only mortgage the future of the state.

Arabambi, in a statement in Abeokuta, described the alleged selling of the state-owned housing assets as “reckless and an assault on the state’s heritage,” insisting that such a decision would sabotage the future of affordable housing in Ogun.

He condemned the reported sale of the Ibara Housing Estate, calling it “an assault on Ogun State’s shared legacy,” alleging that the estates, initially intended for civil servants and ordinary citizens, were being handed over to private entities through secretive and unfair deals.

LP contended that the Housing Corporation, created almost 50 years ago to tackle housing shortages, was being undermined through the “plundering of its assets,” expressing shock that no well-meaning citizens, labour unions, leadership of the state Assembly and traditional institutions were consulted before steps were taken to allegedly sell off the assets.

The National Vice Chairman appealed to notable personalities in the state, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Prof. Wole Soyinka, and erstwhile governor, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, to prevail on Governor Abiodun to stop the alleged sales of the public housing properties.

However, in a swift reaction, yesterday, Special to the Governor on Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, dismissed the claim, insisting that Arabambi lacked knowledge of how government was being run on developmental projects.

He maintained that the government’s urban renewal programme had transformed Government Reserved Areas (GRAs) statewide, earning accolades from prominent indigenes and Nigerians.

Akinmade clarified that urban renewal entails revamping cities and giving them a fresh look, noting that the development of modern housing projects along major corridors was in line with international best practices.

“The problem with Arabambi is his gross ignorance of governance. Perhaps he has never worked in government,” he said.