• Ambode not
involved in tussle between Tejuosho, Deputy Speaker, state says
Husband of
the former Deputy Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly (LSHA), Prince
Kayode Tejuosho, has described his home’s invasion by armed policemen as a
political persecution and intimidation by the state government.
Tejuosho,
who condemned the act, said the government lied that his house was reserved as
the official residence of the deputy speaker of the LSHA.
Tejuosho,
whose family was evicted from their Ikeja GRA home by the state government over
alleged illegal sale, also called for a thorough investigation and prosecution
of those, who allegedly made the illegal sale if the government was serious.
A mild drama
ensued as armed policemen, who were stationed at the entrance of the sealed
building chased away Tejuosho and journalists, who converged near the building
for a press briefing yesterday.
Tejuosho
also denied that his family underpaid for the building, insisting that he paid
N150 million, after the state government approved a 25 per cent deduction from
the initial N200 million offer.
“During the
administration of former governor Bola Tinubu, the state adopted the Federal
Government’s property’s monetisation and redevelopment policy by offering many
of its property to public/civil servants occupying same for sale as well as
companies under redevelopment schemes.
“This
monetization policy was continued by the Babatunde Fashola government, as a
result of which many officials benefited, including the present chairman of the
Lagos APC, Mr. Henry Dele Ajomale. In furtherance of this policy, my wife and I
being the present occupiers were equally afforded the opportunity of acquiring
the property.
“I make bold
to say that no deputy speaker has lived inside the property. A former Permanent
Secretary in the state Ministry of Budget, Mrs. Dawodu, handed the place over
to us and it was only a colonial building with wooden deck that was there then.
My wife and I improved the property to what it is presently.”
Reacting to
the allegations, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Habib Haruna, said:
“Being neither an official of Lagos State nor the purported beneficiary of the
government property on No 3A Sasegbon Street, Ikeja GRA, we ought not to
dignify Mr. Kayode Tejuosho’s befuddling statement to the press with a
response. However, in order not to have the public misinformed, it’s important
to make the following clarifications:
“That the
matter in question does not involve the governor’s office as being erroneously
alleged but a tussle of ownership on a government property between an
interloper and the Deputy Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
“That while
a couple has stepped forward to claim ownership of the property, this is a
misdirected claim as the couple did not make any purchase on the property. The
company that made the purported purchase did so in error and is yet to step
forward to challenge the cancellation of the purchase since the company, Debam
Mega Solutions, which paid only a portion of the offer price never completed
payments on it that would have entitled its full take-over and access to
Certificate of Occupancy. The incomplete payment has since been refunded to the
company and the property retrieved so that it can continue to serve as the
official quarters of the Deputy Speaker.”
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