The Lagos State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has faulted recent comments by former Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, on the demolition of illegal structures at the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, describing his intervention as “reckless, misleading, and hypocritical.”
In a statement issued by its spokesman, Hon. Seye Oladejo, the Lagos APC maintained that the exercise was a lawful enforcement measure aimed at restoring order, protecting public safety, and safeguarding government property from encroachment.
> “The structures in question are indisputably illegal encroachments that pose environmental, security, and commercial risks. To mischaracterize this as an attack on any group of Nigerians is dishonest, inflammatory, and unbecoming of a man who aspires to national leadership,” the statement said.
OBI’S RECORD IN ANAMBRA
The APC reminded Nigerians that Obi himself presided over large-scale demolitions as Governor of Anambra State between 2006 and 2014. It cited the demolition of structures in Upper Iweka (2009), Ochanja Market (2010), and parts of Awka and Nnewi under the guise of “urban renewal,” exercises that displaced thousands of traders and artisans without adequate compensation.
Even in 2012, when bulldozers rolled through Onitsha to clear illegal shops and extensions on major roads, Obi maintained a studied silence because the demolitions aligned with his administration’s agenda, the APC noted.
SELECTIVE OUTRAGE
The party accused Obi of double standards, arguing that he now condemns in Lagos what he tolerated in Anambra.
> “Today, Obi suddenly finds his voice—not out of genuine concern for the rule of law, but because the enforcement is happening in Lagos. His attempt to portray lawful actions as persecution is nothing but an effort to stoke ethnic and political sentiments,” the statement added.
RULE OF LAW, NOT RULE OF SENTIMENTS
The Lagos APC stressed that the demolition exercise is not targeted at any ethnic group or political persuasion, but is part of government’s responsibility to maintain sanity in commercial operations.
> “As a supposed political leader, Obi should be teaching his supporters to respect urban planning and constituted authority. Instead, he fans ethnic embers and presents himself as a defender of impunity,” Oladejo stated.
Reiterating that governance cannot be reduced to populism at the expense of legality, the party urged Nigerians to see through Obi’s “desperate antics,” insisting that Lagos will continue to uphold inclusiveness, justice, and development anchored on the rule of law.
