BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – The Labour Party (LP) candidate in the February 25, 2023 presidential election, Peter Obi has pleaded with Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to show compassion in the ongoing demolition of private properties in some parts of the State.
He has also called on government in other States of the federation currently embarking on such exercises to reconsider their stands and put a human face to all actions, especially given the biting hardship in the country
Speaking against the backdrop of growing concerns over the demolition of illegal structures in Lagos, Obi criticised the exercise as “not timely and well-thought-out”.
Reacting to the development in a statement via his X account (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, the former Anambra State Governor wrote; “It’s with complete despondency and unhappiness that I have followed the ongoing demolitions of properties across the country, especially knowing the extra hardship such acts have been heaping on hapless citizens who are already battling with multi-dimensional Poverty.
“What a responsive government should be doing under the current harsh economic conditions in the country is to come up with measures aimed at alleviating the people’s hardships and to carry out measures that will take more people out of poverty.
“Even if there are some violations as the governments are claiming, this critical time is not auspicious for such an exercise knowing the hardship in the land and the consequences it will have on the poor who are struggling to make ends meet with their little resources.
“The poor in our midst who are putting their meager resources are going through very severe financial stress that should not be multiplied further. In some cases, the properties being demolished are the lifetime savings and retirement abodes of the aged and incapacitated.
“My appeal therefore is for the respective governments involved in this act to consider the hardship in the country and try and put a human face to their actions. While we should enforce sensible regulations, all actions of government must show compassion.
“My appeal therefore is for the respective governments involved in this act to consider the hardship in the country and try and put a human face to their actions. While we should enforce sensible regulations, all actions of government must show compassion. -PO
— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) November 30, 2023
However, amid what some critics alleged as an attack on the Igbos, the Lagos State Government (LASG) has continued to insist that the demolition is only aimed at ‘restoring sanity’ in the State
According to LASG officials, the affected structures being demolished contravened extant laws on property development in the State.
