Edo govt demolishes Oshiomhole’s ally’s hotel

The Edo state government has demolished T. Latifah Hotel and Suites, a hotel belonging to Tony Kabaka Adun, an associate of Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Adun whose company collected taxes on behalf of the government when Oshiomhole was governor of the state was sacked when Godwin Obaseki assumed office.

The demolition of the hotel, located at Ugbor, Benin city, occurred around noon on Wednesday.

The state’s ministry of physical planning and urban development had said the hotel was built on a property belonging to Ugbor Primary School.

Although Adun said he secured a restraining order against the government’s action, Crusoe Osagie, media aide to Obaseki said the order had since been vacated.

“We are still in court. I have injunctions against the government. Judgment is on Friday,” Adun had reportedly said shortly before the hotel was destroyed.

“I have certificate of occupancy in my house but I don’t have C of O in the hotel. Let him go ahead and demolish it. 100 years is not forever.”

Last year, Obaseki had vowed to demolish the hotel, saying no amount of blackmail would stop him from demolishing any building on government’s property.

Obaseki fell out with Oshiomhole shortly before he publicly declared his second term bid. The national chairman of the APC has opposed his reelection bid.

On Monday, the governor petitioned Mohammed Adamu, inspector-general of police, seeking the arrest of Oshiomhole whom he accused of instigating violence in the state.

Before writing the petition, he had threatened to “deal with Oshiomhole if he keeps disturbing us in Edo”.