Former Governor of Anambra State and Labour Party Presidential Candidate at the 2023 General elections Peter Obi has condemned in strong terms the demolition of houses going on in some parts of Lagos State.
Reacting on his X handle on Thursday 30th of November 2023, Obi noted with displeasure saying that even if there were violations the Lagos State Government shouldn’t have taken such an action at a time like this considering that citizens are going through hardship and battling with its impact to survive.
“What a responsive government should be doing under the harsh economic conditions in the country is to come with measures aimed at alleviating the people’s hardships and to carry out measures that would take more people out of poverty”.
Obi further stated that the poor are putting little resources together are going through financial stress and it would be unfair for government to add to their suffering adding that the demolitions would have taken the live savings and abodes of the aged.
He appealed to the government to put a human face and be compassionate in their actions while enforcing sensible regulations on the citizens.
Recall that the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources Tokunbo Wahab, had said more properties would be pulled down for contravening the drainage law after structures in areas like Lekki, Alaba Market, Ajao Estate, Abule Egba, Ladipo Market, among others have been demolished.
Commenting on the matter, the Special Counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, pro-Biafra agitator, Aloy Ejimakor, revealed that the Lagos State government is not transparent in its demolition exercise. Ejimakor alleged that the demolition was unconstitutional and violated the Land Use Act.
He said: “Lagos State government is neither transparent nor even-handed in the demolition exercise. The demolition is also potentially unconstitutional because of its disparate impact on Igbo property owners.
