In what many perceive as leadership intolerance to opposition, Edo State Governor Mr Godwin Obaseki has drawn flaks from different quarters when he ordered, Tuesday evening, the demolition of a property belonging to the immediate past Deputy Governor of Edo, Dr Pius Odubu.
The former deputy governor’s property currently occupied by his younger brother and his family at the Osadebe Avenue, GRA, was destroyed along with those belonging to Mr Mike Etemuagbon and a member of the House of Representatives, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, both allies of Mr Adams Oshiomhole, the immediate past governor of the State.
Ihonvbere’s destroyed property was located on a land measuring 200 x 200 in Okorotun Avenue, GRA, Benin.
While reacting to the destruction, Odubu who described it as unfortunate, said the matter was already before the court.
He said he had read in the Nigeria Observer newspaper in January that his Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) to the property situate at Dennis Osadebe Avenue in the Government Reserve Area (GRA) in Benin, had been revoked.
“The information came to me this afternoon, March 23, that my property situate at Dennis Osadebe avenue have been brought down by agents of the government on the directive of the governor.
“Before now, my attention was brought to a publication in the Observer newspaper in January that the C of O of my property has been revoked without prior notice given to me.
“I went to court in the matter and I am surprised that after they had been served, the government still went ahead to bring down my house with a bulldozer.
“My younger one was in the house when it was brought down and they did not give them notice nor allow them to remove any of their property before destroying the place,” he stated.
Mrs Precious Odubu who narrated the incident to newsmen, said about 4pm, she noticed some strange-looking policemen who came into the compund and she approached them to inquire about their mission.
“The way they came in, not through the main gate, i was afraid and asked about their mission and they told me that they want to demolish the house and if there are children in the building they should be brought out.
“Without even waiting for my response, they just brought in their buldozers and started destroying the house without allowing us to remove our properties,” she stated.
However, Ihonvbere’s property destroyed was a building under construction.
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