Petrol Dealer Accuses Fayose Of Demolishing Filling Station For Political Reason
An Ado Ekiti petroleum products dealer, Chief Remi Oguntuase, has accused Governor Ayodele Fayose of ordering the demolition of his filling station under construction for political reasons.
Describing the demolition as “politically motivated, malicious and act of vendetta”Oguntuase said he had received valid approval and clearance from regulatory agencies before he commenced work on the petrol station.
The filling station located on Ilawe Road in Irona area of Ado Ekiti was one of the three demolished by government agents on Tuesday on grounds that their construction contravened laid down building standards and guidelines.
Speaking with journalists yesterday where the demolished filling station was located, Oguntuase alleged that Fayose led the demolition squad wearing shorts and supervised the exercise for some minutes before leaving the place.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain who reminded that the governor during his first tenure of office destroyed his first petrol station along Ajilosun alleged that the latest demolition was because he is an opposition figure.
He said government order to stop work on the project was complied with following the January 8 fire incident at a filling station belonging to Strive Energy Limited in Ijigbo area of the town.
Oguntuase added that another filling station was demolished on Ilawe Road by the governor so as to hide the alleged political undertone behind the action.
He said, “The other filling station there owned by an Igbo man Gilbert was demolished so that it will not appear to people that politics was behind the action. If they a destroying the equipment installed why are they destroying the fence?
“I have documents for the work being done here and it was inspected and certified fit by agencies like DPR, Fire Service, Town Planning Authority, Surveyor General’s office and other relevant agencies of government and I paid the required fees and have the receipts”.
“I was at the Ewi’s palace after the king had ordered us to call off our strike with the Commissioner of Police and other stakeholders in attendance. Between 3.30 and 4.00 pm yesterday (Tuesday), the governor was here in shorts giving orders to pay loader from the Ministry of Works to demolish my structure.
“I don’t think the governor is doing this in public interest as he wants the public to believe. The action was politically motivated; he is doing this because I am an APC leader, a foundation member since the days of Alliance for Democracy (AD).
“You will recall that during his first tenure, he stormed the first petrol station that I built and destroyed everything in sight and now again, he came here to demolish another one under construction.
“Even the petrol station that was burnt which he claimed was the reason why he is carrying out this demolition was not demolished; the burnt station is still intact but the question I want to ask is why is he starting this latest exercise from my station again?
“Another reason why I believe Fayose’s action was political was that during the January 8 fire incident at Ijigbo my father’s house and another APC chieftain, Alhaji Olatunji’s father’s house were affected by fire but the governor went ahead to demolish the two structures without our consent and without paying any compensation.”
When asked on his next line of action, Oguntuase said: “I have to consult my lawyers and they will tell me the next thing to do.”
