MEMBERS of the Ogun State House of Assembly Committee on Land Matters heard yesterday how choice landed property in the highbrow Ibara, Abeokuta, the state capital, were allocated to a Federal High Court Judge and aides to the former Governor Gbenga Daniel.
The plots, allocated between 2008 and May this year, were given out at give-away prices.
The committee may invite the former governor to appear before it over the matter.
General Manager of the Housing Corporation, Mr. Anthony Ladega, who appeared before the Committee, which began a probe into the sales of landed properties under the guise of Ibara Urban Renewal Scheme, said no fewer than 160 plot of lands were allocated to cronies of Daniel.
Ladega also alleged that the Housing Corporation allocated 108 hectares at Ogere, valued at N450 million to a private university almost at no cost to the institution.
Addressing reporters, Committee Chairman Remmy Hassan, who read the document by Ladega alleged that former controversial Speaker, Soyemi Coker, the deputy Governorship candidate of the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) during the last election, Mrs Jokotade Odebunmi had a hand in the deals.
Others mentioned in the controversial land deals included Daniel’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Isiaq Salako, the Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Otemolu Adepegba, former Chairman, Ewekoro Local Government, Iskilu Makinde, former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Housing, Ayo Von and former Chairman Abeokuta South Local Government, Yanju Lipede.
Hassan hinted that the former governor might be invited to defend his alleged action.
Hassan said: “The former governor does not have any immunity. When he had immunity, maybe there were constitutional constraints, but as at today, he does not have.
“If he has questions to answer, he will be called. And if he is not ready to come, the relevant sections of the Constitution would be invoked and he will be brought here.
“The foundation was faulty and it cannot stand, because of the irregularities in the deal. Imagine somebody gets allocation of land worth N12.7 million for N1.2 million, two days after the controversial judgment was delivered.”
http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/22010-ndlea-dg-advises-officers.html
