Mandy Park
At last, Agege Local Government Chairman, Hon. Ganiyu Egunjobi has spoken on the demolition of buildings at the MKO Abiola market site in the council division, which affected a property former Ogun State deputy Speaker, Hon Edwards Ayo-Odugbesan claimed belongs to him.
The said building is located at 47, Old Ogba road beside MKO Abiola market, Agege.
While, Ayo-Odugbesan is claiming of having obtained documents of the property in 1997 from the then Lagos State govrrnor, Egunjobi said that the documents bandied by the former Speaker were obtained with fraudulent survey plan.
He insisted, given genuine survey plan that the said property is legally owned by Agege local government council.
Egunjobi noted further that ”under transparent circumstances, devoid of deception the couple would not have been granted governor’s consent for the land since the same Lagos state government long awarded same to the council on a land that covers the portion in dispute based on our Survey plan.””
Agege council boss said the property was among others that encroached on the Local Government land, and illegally grabbed by the former deputy Speaker, vowing to use all legal means to retain the property back to the council.
He said ” In 2004, there is a report document in my office here showing that a committee was set up then and all those encroachers in our property in the said area were notified and invited for a meeting, Hon Odugbesan or his representative never showed up. The committee report is here.”
“In a press conference with journalists in Lagos, Egunjobi asked the police to step in to unravel how the former deputy Speaker got a fraudulent Certificate of Occupancy and survey plan.
“‘If their claim is true, it means the process they used to obtain it is fraudulent and must be investigated by the police.” he noted.
Part of Egunjobi statement read’s “In recent days the media is awash with report that Agege Local Government seized and demolished a so-called property of a former Deputy Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Edwards Ayo-Odugbesan and his wife.
“The said property at 47, Old Ogba Road beside MKO Abiola Market, Agege, used to house Edwards Private School, a private entity belonging to Mr and Mrs Ayo-Odugbesan who are both lawyers.
“The fact of the matter is that the said property is within the land of the council at the former Abiola Market which the council equally demolished. Inferably the portion the property in question occupied belongs to the council.
“This is evidenced by our survey plan and the Certificate of Occupancy issued to us by Lagos State government.
“It’s curious that Mr and Mrs Ayo-Odugbesan claim to possess a governor’s consent for that same land.
“If their claim is true, it means the process they used to obtain it is fraudulent and must be investigated by the police.
“This becomes necessary considering that under transparent circumstances, devoid of deception the couple would not have been granted governor’s consent for the land since the same Lagos state government long awarded same to the council on a land that covers the portion in dispute based on our Survey plan.
“Since we have nothing to hide, we are making available to the public through the media today our own documents: survey plan and C of O and their own, for verification at Lagos State Lands Bureau.
“We are convinced beyond any reasonable doubt that their so-called governor’s consent was obtained with a fraudulent Survey plan.
“Speaking on the issue that we demolished a school. We acted within the law by obtaining the approval of Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority, LASPPPA, to demolish all structures on our land including the section where Abiola Market occupied.
“We have our position on the debate about the existence or non-existence of Edwards Private School but it does not matter.
“Let assume there’s a private school there. Does that remove or diminish the fact that the land is owned by government?
“Moreover we are talking of a for-profit organisation not a charity organisation.
“In good conscience, I would not look the other way and allow individuals or organisations to rob Agege of its properties no matter the status of the usurper.
“My overriding concern is that I swore an oath to serve the interest of the council and this I will continue to abide by till my last seconds in office.”
It was gathered that the case will be coming up in court next month, November 5.
