The Ogun State Government has demolished the DATKEM Plaza, owned by Mrs. Olufunke Daniel, wife of former governor of the state, Senator Gbenga Daniel, who represents Ogun East in the present National Assembly.
In a statement, the Project Manager/Developer for the building, Olusegun Lawal said that the demolition of the five-storey building located at Folagbade Street, Ijebu-Ode was carried out at 3:00 am on Sunday.
Lawal said that the building, which had been under construction since 2009, had the full approval from the state government and was scheduled for commissioning by the end of this month, adding that it had no structural or quality issues.
He disclosed that the third floor was to house the Ogun East Senatorial Office.
There is said to be a raging rift between the incumbent governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; and Daniel, who was in office between 2003 and 2011.
It is unclear when the rift began, as Daniel backed Abiodun for governor in 2019. But as the 2023 elections drew closer, Daniel reportedly did not openly back Abiodun’s reelection, but instead worked quietly to support Hon. Ladi Adebutu, the candidate of opposition Peoples Democratic Party.
Lawal told Peoples Gazette that the demolition was “very shocking, very cruel and a heinous act committed by someone who is supposed to be saving our lives and properties; by somebody who is supposed to protect the rule of law in this state”.
He added that, as the developer of the building, everything that was required from state government officials was done.
He further said: “We’ve done what was needful from our side regarding this project. They complained of contravention and we made amendment to the approval, submitted since last year. This is a building that’s almost two years now. Every queries raised, we answered them.
“When they partially sealed us, they asked us to pay 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. I said can we perform magic in this life”?
Neither the governor nor the senator has publicly acknowledged an ongoing feud, and their respective spokespersons did not immediately return requests seeking comments on Sunday morning.
