Lagos
State Government has given the National Legal Adviser of the All
Progressives Congress, APC, Dr. Muiz Adeyemi Banire, 24 hours notice to
produce the planning permit of a house in which his mother, Alhaja Sarat
Banire, is staying or face demolition.
Banire raised the alarm in a statement today, accusing Governor Akinwumi Ambode of vendetta.
APC's Legal Adviser, said he got the news in Saudi Arabia, where he is on lesser
hajj, explained that the building, located at 24A, Remi Fani Kayode
Street, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos, was leased to him by the Federal Government
and that he never carried out any structural work on it.
He said having failed to unseat him as the National Legal Adviser of the APC, Ambode now targets his properties.
The statement, titled: ‘Lagos State Government and Politics of Vendetta’ reads in full:
“Distinguished gentlemen of the Press, it has become imperative for me
to urgently issue this press statement to notify all men and women of
good conscience on the activities of the current government in
Lagos State that is hell-bent on persecuting my family for no reason
besides that I insisted on the need to observe the rule of law.
“Notice came to me on wednesday, the 14th day of November, 2017 at about 6
pm while on lesser hajj in Saudi Arabia about a notice of contravention
purportedly served on the residence of my 90-year old mother, Alhaja
Sarat Banire, at her 24A, Remi Fani Kayode Street, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos by
the agents of Lagos State Government from the Ministry of Physical
Planning and Urban Development demanding within 24 hours, proof of
planning permit obtained before the building was constructed. The
contravention notice further threatened demolition of my mother’s
two-bedroom bungalow within 48 hours of the notice.
“It behooves me to put the record straight. My siblings and I acquired a
lease of the property known as 24A, Remi Fani-Kayode Street, GRA, Ikeja,
Lagos from the Federal Government to serve as residence for my aged
mother. The lease covered the 2-bedroom bungalow already on the land
together with a boys’ quarter. I did not have any reason to rebuild the
house or do any further construction as the place was fit for the
purpose for which it was acquired on lease.
“I know that since the creation of the lease, my mother has been living
in the said 2-bedroom bungalow without adding a block to the property by
way of additional construction, development or alteration save minor
renovation like painting. The reasons why we could not develop the
property to make it more befitting is that we are still awaiting federal
consent to the lease created in my mother’s favour.
“Surprisingly on the 14th day of November, the contravention notice
purportedly served by government requires that a building permit must be
produced for an old building the existence of which predated the lease
by which my mother became the occupier of the premises. The property
belongs to the Federal Government of Nigeria who granted a lease to my
mother and save for minor renovations to make it habitable, no single
efforts at construction or reconstruction has been made by any of us.
How on earth could it be heard that a tenant is required to produce a
building permit of a property that belongs to her landlord within 24
hours otherwise she risked demolition of the building?
“I had earlier said that the Lagos State government, under the
governorship of Akinwunmi Ambode is out on a vendetta and having failed
to get me removed as the National Legal Adviser of All Progressives
Congress, has targeted my supporters for persecution. The more recent is
the invasion and sealing up of the residence of Honourable Funmilayo
Tejuoso without a court order and in flagrant disregard to pending
proceedings of the Lagos State High Court in a suit instituted by
Honourable Tejuoso’s company and the Lagos State Government.
“I had been expecting that, since I was the ultimate target having
received several messages threatening my family members and me, very
soon my properties shall become objects of demolition by the vindictive
government that is out to wage war against real and perceived enemies. I
am, therefore, not surprised to see that my aged mother’s residence is
under attack.
“However, certain points become quite pertinent:
“1. it has never been heard that a tenant of a property shall be
required to produce the building permit by which the property leased to
him was constructed;
“2. what urgency requires that the occupier of a premises be given just
24 hours to produce a building permit of which he/she could not have
been in possession?;
“3. what urgency requires that the building be demolished within 48 hours of issuing a contravention notice if not vendetta?
“4. It is clear that Minister’s Consent to the lease in accordance with
the law is still under processing with the Office of the Minister for
Power, Works and Housing in Abuja and same has not come out which
prevents the building from being developed;
“5. The building is not dilapidated and neither does it constitute
danger to any life or property. What exactly brought this building
within the context of demolition if not that it is linked to Muiz
Banire?
“I want to sound this note of caution to the Lagos State Government that
I am not daunted by all these acts of terrorism which it has embarked
upon in recent times. My call for internal democracy in All Progressives
Congress, prevalence of rule of law and resistance to imposition came
out of personal conviction to serve my creator in all ramifications and
at every opportunity.
“All necessary reactions to the notice have been escalated to both the
Lagos State Government and the Federal Government as I have caused my
lawyers to respond to the notice appropriately. I have no doubt that
this latest Gestapo tactic is in furtherance of the political
victimization and oppression raging against me and my associates. I am
ready for the sacrifice even if I have to in the process sleep on the
street of Lagos.
“Rule of law and institution building remain sacrosanct to me. As far as
God continues to protect my life, I will remain resolute on it. As the
political repression continues, I urge all my followers and supporters
to be calm. If God says that my ailing mother at the age of 90 will die
in the hands of Governor Ambode, I give God the glory. This is just my
immediate reaction pending my arrival when I shall address the press
comprehensively.”
