By Ayobami Ife, Abeokuta
ABEOKUTA: The Ogun State chapter of Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), its chairman; Otunba Olufemi Soluade, Com. Samson Okunsanya (State Secretary) and Alh.Moshood Adesina have filed motion ex parte at a Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta, against the Governor of Ogun State (Prince Dapo Abiodun), the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Commissioner for Housing, Commissioner for Works and Commissioner for Finance, who were listed as 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th defendants respectively.
Also listed as defendants in the suit marked FHC/AB/CS/43/2025 were Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC).
In the motion ex parte dated Friday, March 21, 2025 and signed by Prof. Yemi Oke, SAN, of the MJS Partners, a firm of legal practitioners & consultants, the quartet of CUPP, Otunba Soluade, Com. Okunsanya and Alh. Adesina prayed for an order of the FHC Abeokuta for 9 reliefs bordering on particulars/identities of allotees of Ogun lands and housing schemes spread across the state’s three Senatorial Districts.
The plaintiffs specifically asked the court for an Order of Mandamus to compel the Governor of Ogun State (Prince Dapo Abiodun), Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Commissioner for Housing, Commissioner for Works and Commissioner for Finance to make available to them(the plaintiffs), names and other particulars of allotees as well as proofs of payment for such allocations in respect of the followings:
(1) The GRA Regeneration Scheme in Abeokuta.
(2) Id – Aba Housing Scheme and Old Government Technical College, Olobe, Idi – Aba, Abeokuta.
(3)Igbeba Housing Scheme Ijebu – Ode
(4) President Muhammadu Buhari Estate, Kobape, Abeokuta.
(5) Workers’ Estate Kobape, Abeokuta.
(6) Prince Court Estate, Sagamu.
(7) Prince Court Estate, Ijebu – Ode
(8) Prince Court Estate, Ilaro and
(9) The Gateway Aviation Village, Iperu – Remo.
The plaintiffs claimed that they needed the allotees’ particulars and evidence of payment in respect of the above listed state government properties for “onward transmission” to the EFCC and ICPC “for confirmation and verification, pursuant to section 1 of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011.”
The Daily Crucible learnt that the motion ex parte followed the failure of the Ministry of Housing to furnish the plaintiffs with the said particulars being sought about the allotees as requested earlier since January this year, which eventually compelled them to write the state government on February 10, 2025 of the final notice of the lawsuit.
Meanwhile, in a related development, The Daily Crucible also gathered that the Chiefs in Egbaland have had cause in February, 2025 to urge Governor Dapo Abiodun to spare the land belonging to Old Technical College Olobe, Idi – Aba, Abeokuta of what someone reckoned as ‘building to sell or sale of land’ phenomenon being carried out presently by Dapo Abiodun – led state government under its urban regeneration scheme.
The Egba Chiefs’ body which urged Abiodun to discontinue any planned sale of the Technical College land in any form, noted that the College quarters which risked being excised by his administration as feared by the Egba people, have been in place even before the creation of Ogun State in 1976.
According to them, the place was given to the College by their past heroes with growth and development in mind, especially considering the Egbas’ contribution to pioneering of education not just in Ogun State but also in Nigeria.
And being optimistic about the College and its potential to transform to a Technical/Technological University in future, they expressed the worry that any reduction in its land size could jeopardize such future growth.
The Daily Crucible learnt that following from these concerns, the Egba chiefs have asked the Governor to direct the Ministry in charge of the project going on there to leave the college land and “go elsewhere.”
