The 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 living or risk demolition in 48 hours.
Banire raised the alarm in a statement, yesterday.
Banire, who said the news came to him in Saudi Arabia, where he is on lesser hajj, added 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: “It behoves 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.”
He accused the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, of vendetta over the issue.
Banire said having failed to remove him as the National Legal Adviser of the APC, the party to which they both belong, Ambode was now targeting his property.
“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.”
He queried why the tenant of a property would be required to produce the building permit by which the property leased to him was constructed adding that what urgency requires that the building be demolished within 48 hours of issuing a contravention notice if not vendetta?
