An Ondo State High Court Sitting in Akure, on Friday, restrained the state government from demolishing structures at the state Trade Fair Complex situated along Igbatoro road, in the state capital.
This is just as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the state government traded words over the pool landed demolition of the complex.
In a suit filed by the Counsel to the claimants, Olumide Ogidan, on behalf of the occupants who prayed for an interim injunction to forestall further demolition of the structures at the complex.
Ogidan prayed the court to restrain the defendants from going on with the demolition pending the hearing of the application for an interlocutory injunction
Ogidan told the court that “The main idea of this suit is against the purported quick notice served to the occupants of the trade fair complex who have existing lease agreement with the government and who have also been renewing their tenancy and leases.
“Some of them pay as far as February this year but surprisingly to their shock, they were served a notice to quit, dated March 24, 2022, informing them of the need to vacate the facilities they are occupying, on the grounds that the government tends to demolish the entire trade fair complex because they have an investor to give the place to.
“We feel that this is inappropriate because majority of these occupants have a existing leases and tenancy agreement with the government and some of them have just renewed the said rent and the government is not talking about compensation.
He listed the defendants in the case to include, the Ondo State government, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice as well as the Commissioner for Commerce, Investment and Corporative Services.
However, in his judgement, Justice Adegboyega Adebusoye, granted the application restraining the defendants from going on with the demolition pending the hearing of application for interlocutory injunction which will come up on the 25 of April 2022.
It will be recalled that that the state government through the Commissioner for Lands and Infrastructure, Mr Raimi Aminu had on Thursday said the demolition had the backing of the court, stressing that the government aims to make it a massive business district.
Meanwhile, the opposition PDP in the state has described the steps of the state government to demolish the trade fair complex as anti-people exercise to bring more hardship to the occupants of the complex.
In a press release signed by the state Publicity Secretary of PDP, Kennedy Pereite, described the act as inhumane anti-people exercise, saying this will bring wailing and tears to Ondo state entrepreneurs who are tenants of the trade fair complex.
The statement read in part: “In a civil servant state where the workers are yet to receive November, 2021 salary, the few who provide employment and helping to energise the economy are being traumatised for no just cause.
“It all started like a joke, when on 24th March, 2022, occupants of business premises in the Trade Fair Complex received a Notice to Quit the complex within 14 days. Efforts to seek an audience with the Honourable Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperative Services, Mrs Lola Fagbemi yielded no results.
“The businessmen also approached a lawyer to write to the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, explaining the illegality of the actions of the state government, all to no avail.
“Then, on Thursday, 7th April 2022, when the 14-day Quit Notice was said to have expired, three State Commissioners, led by the Commissioner for Works, Land and Housing, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperative Services accompanied by the Surveyor-General of the State, all arrived Igbatoro road to demolish the buildings.
“The bulldozer that was initially assigned to pull down the structures was unable to deliver on the assignment, hence, an excavator had to be deployed to reduce to rubbles businesses that are struggling to survive in a very inclement economy.”
According to the party, “from the accounts of some entrepreneurs who watched helplessly as their means of livelihood got crushed by the roaring equipment, they invested more than N70 million to upgrade the entire premises to what it is now.
“The funds so invested were converted to rents for them, with some having more than three years unexpired rents. More than 100 businesses risk being extinguished if Akeredolu succeeds to pull through with this anti-people exercise.
The party also alleged that the governor’s son had purchased the complex for some phony projects and said “For a lawyer of Mr. Governor’s standing, does he require a lawyer to explain to him that, annual tenants can not be ejected with a 14-day notice?
“Did he give any consideration to the families of those who own businesses in the place? Are the people behind this illegality aware of the economic implications of their actions to the state?
“If indeed, the government is desirous of establishing a business district, is the trade fair the most suitable place in Akure? Why does governor Akeredolu always take joy in making people cry? What is really urgent about establishing a business district that, your tenants of over fifteen years have to quit within 14 days?”, the party questioned.
However, while reacting, the state government said demolition of the long abandoned Trade Fair Complex is to pave way for a befitting Central Business District in the state
In a statement signed by the State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Donald Ojogo, the state government said there was no plan to demolish Shoprite, situated within the complex and said it remains the uncompromising responsibility of government to alert the public of mischief under any guise.
The statement said “For the avoidance of doubt, tenants in the complex had been given an ample opportunity of Notice prior to the demolition exercise even as Government is not unmindful of the puerile efforts of some hired cronies of enthrenched interests.
“Our desire to turn the moribund Trade Fair Complex which had since transmuted to a criminals’ hideout to a fruit-bearing business hub remains unwavering.
“We shall engage all stakeholders, especially potential private investors to bring to fruition, our desires to wrought development on our people.
In the case of the alleged plan to demolish Shoprite, residents of the State are enjoined to confine this mischief replete with inaccuracy, to the dustbin. Shoprite, even as it remained the only known inherited investment, will rather be given a more befitting ambience beef-up.
“Instructively, Shoprite, without prejudice, serves as the precursor to the planned Central Business District which hosts the following: proposed Five Star Hotel, the novel Entrepreneurs’ Village, Revenue House, the envisaged Business Hub with varying degrees of luxuries, development comforts and others in the pipeline along that strait.
“Our plans for development, especially through credible investment drives shall remain on an enviable cruise throughout the tenure of the Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN)-led administration. No amount of falsehood and blackmail will be given a chance to play any role.
“It is, therefore, unfortunate that PDP has again, offered itself to remain the undertaker scavenging for permanent rots. On our part, the present administration desires not to seek an unpleasant place in history as a conveyance belt to discourage investment and disincentive for development.