Outrage in Ondo As Akeredolu Destroys N20m worth Property
The Many people, including political leaders across divides have joined voices to condemn the demolition of a property worth N20M million at Climax Hotel and Bar, behind SARS office, Akure, on the Order of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu. Nigerian Cable News online has gathered
The Chairman of the hotel, Hon. Afolabi Iwalewa, who expressed displeasure at the colossal loss, said he was perturbed by the state government action.
Iwalewa recalled that the officials of the state Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development had earlier stormed the hotel on Nov. 16 ,2019 to mark the place for demolition and carted some items away.
He added that he thought the matter had been resolved, saying that he was surprised to see them on Sunday, December 8 with six Hilux vehicles, many thugs and bulldozer for the demolition.
” The first day they came was on Saturday without prior notice and they destroyed some things and took with them some items but I quickly made some moves to resolve complete demolition of the structure and they returned some things taken away.
” I thought we have resolved it but I am surprised today, Sunday, that they came with full force, in company of Alhaji Rasheed Badmus, the Commissioner for Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Doyin Odebowale, the Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties and Strategy to the state governor, policemen and thugs.
“The place was under lock but they destroyed the fence, gaining access to inside and pulled down the gate in the process, destroying some building structures inside.
“It is Odebowale that is spearheading this trouble,” he stated.
Iwalewa said that it was disheartening that the state government was intimidating people that hailed from the southern part of the state.
” The government is intimidating us especially we from the south and any government that is not encouraging small and medium scale enterprises is not fit and will eventually fail.
” These officials said they came with the order of Mr Governor and I believe he actually sent them,” he said.
He explained that the hotel was means of his survival and that it stopped its operation since Nov. 16 , saying that no fewer than 23 people, who were working there, had been deprived of means of livelihood.
Iwalewa said that it was ironical that it was the same government he campaigned for and supported that could cause great damage to him.
” I worked rigorously for this government to come into place in 2017,and I was even wounded then and I traveled abroad for treatment.
“People were mocking me then but the governor is fighting me and wants to kill me,” he said.
He, therefore, promised to seek legal means to challenge the ill action of the government and seek for redress.
One notable politician and opposition leader among those who have condemned the demolition is a former speaker of the house of Assembly, Rt. Honourable Jumoke Akindele. The former speaker took to her facebook account to express her dissatisfaction about the development.
She said:
“Yesterday, Sunday 7th December, 2019, in the name of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, a Task Force under the leadership of one Doyin Odebowale, an Ibadan resident of Ogun State origin who in all probability had never stepped on the soil of Ondo State before Gov Akeredolu’s bid for governorship, went to the shop of one Citizen Afolabi Iwalewa for the sole purpose of destroying it.”
“Citizen Afolabi, a former member of the state house of assembly, insists that it all started when it became clear to them that he is a close ally of a governorship aspirant in the State and possibly because of his closeness to the incumbent Deputy Governor of the State, a man who is presently suffering serious persecution from the same quarters.”
An eye witness, named Kayode, said that he was amazed that Akeredolu-led administration could use demolition as means of silencing voices of critics
He berated the demolition of the hotel which he added that he might have caused the owner miillions of money.
