The Message International gathered that Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has ordered the demolition of the Datkem Plaza, belonging to the wife of former Governor Gbenga Daniels wife, Olufunke.
According to reports Gbenga Daniel, who is also the incumbent senator representing Ogun East is rumoured to have a rift with the governor, which is alleged to have been responsible for the action .
In a press statement on Sunday, Olusegun Lawal, the Project Manager and Developer for the building, noted that the demolition of the five-storey building located at Folagbade Street, Ijebu-Ode, was carried out at 3:00 a.m. on Sunday.
According to reports it was unclear when the rift began, as Daniel backed Abiodun for governor in 2019. But as 2023 election drew closer, there were suggestions that Mr. Daniel didn’t openly back Mr. Abiodun’s reelection, but instead worked quietly to support Ladi Adebutu, the candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He added that, as the developer of the building, everything that was required from state government officials was done.
“We’ve done what was needed from our side. They complained of contravention and we made an amendment to the approval, submitted since last year. This is a building that’s almost two years old now. Every queries raised, we answered them.
“When they partially sealed us, they asked us to pay an unsealing fee of half a million (N500,000) which I paid. They received it and the next thing they did was to give us a letter in which they said within 24 hours, the amendment submitted doesn’t confirm with what we’re building,” Lawal added
Meanwhile, the government, in a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Engr. Olayiwola Abiodun said the structure violated the building codes of the state with numerous defects.
He said several efforts made by the state government to halt further development on site were ignored by the developers.
He said government officials requested the structural engineer in charge of the building to provide the state the structural equilibrium of the building, a request that was ignored.
Abiodun challenged the owners of the structure to produce evidence of government approval.
He said that for a commercial building of that status, there must be parking space to accommodate vehicular traffic within and outside the facility for workers and visitors. The provision of the law is for 45 to 50 per cent of available land for construction as a buildable area.
The permanent secretary added that the building lacked stage certification, which is usually issued at every stage of construction.
He said that owners were served the necessary notices, including abatement, contravention, stop work and demolition between May and October 2022, which were ignored.
According to the statement, Datkem Enterprises Limited submitted an application for an office building, located along Ibadan Road, Ijebu Ode in 2009 with registration number CB/05/299/2009.
“The proposal was for five (5) floors with airspace of 3 metres at the right, 5m at the left, 5metres at the rear and a setback of 32.5516 metres to the middle of Ijebu Ode/Ibadan road, Ijebu-Ode.
“In addition, the building had been modified and enlarged with an additional storey building at the back thereby becoming over density.
According to the statement, Contravention Notice with Serial No. 0106983 was served on 24th May 2022. Stop Work Order with Serial No. 000623 was served on 24th May 2022. Another Stop Work Order with Serial No. 001065 was served on 22nd July 2022 but was ignored.
He said, “Demolition Notice with Serial No. 0007549 was served on 11th October 2022. Notice to seal with Serial No. 000815 was served on 4th October 2022. Despite all these notices, the developer was recalcitrant, which prompted the re-sealing of the site on 1st August, 2023,” he said.
“However, the developer wrote an appeal for unsealing, which was considered so as to evacuate the belongings in the premises. Thereafter, quit notice with Serial No. 0030750 was served on 31st August, 2023.
“In view of the above, the Zonal Town Planning Office’s recommendation for the demolition of the office building was upheld,” the statement added.
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