MIMIKO WARNS GOVT OFFICIALS OVER ILLEGAL DEMOLITION

Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, has warned government officials not to go beyond government ongoing demolition exercise in Akure metropolis, stressing that any government official caught will be prosecuted.

The dovernor, who gave the order while addressing reporters in Akure, urged the people to report government officials or any group that engage in demolishing structures in the inner city of Akure to the Nigerian Police.

He explained that government did not send any of its agents to demolish any structure in the inner city of Akure, despite its commitment to the beautification of Akure.

Mimiko said: 'Apart from the major roads in Akure like Arakale, Oba-Adesida, Gke-Aro, NEPA, Hospital and Ondo roads that government is demolishing illegal structures and shanties, if anyone demolishes structures in any street, such person does that illegally.

He said he had already given order that anybody caught going to streets apart from the areas mentioned be arrested and handed over to the police. The governor noted that some miscreants had started taking advantage of the ongoing beatification exercise and demolition of illegal structures to perpetrate evil, stressing that such act was targeted at tarnishing the image of the government.

Meanwhile, an Akure-based lawyer, Mr. Morakinyo Ogele had flayed the statement credited to former president, Olusegun Obasanjo at a rally organised by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akure at the weekend that the party would reclaim Ondo state in future elections. Ogele, who described Obasanjo's statement as unfortunate, warned the former president not to introduce another round of do-or-die into the nation's polity.

Rather, he cautioned the Owu-born former head of state to champion the course for a credible election, which he failed to leave behind when he left office. It would be recalled that former president Olusegun Obasanjo had expressed shock over the take-over of Ondo State by the ruling Labour Party.

Obasanjo at the rally challenged PDP supporters in Ondo State to do everything possible to dislodge the Labour Party from power in the next general elections. The lawyer wondered why Obasanjo was shocked when the election tribunal members of the panel refused to be bought by the PDP members.

He noted that Obasanjo during his eight years rule failed to develop the SouthWest, stressing that he should stop interfering in the SouthWest politics. The human rights activists warned the former president to steer clear of rigging in the 2011 elections.