The Anambra state Governor personally supervised
the demolition of Upper Class Hotel, Onitsha where the two human heads, arms
and ammunition were allegedly discovered. Obi personally supervised the demolition
of the three storey structure at 8 Old Market Road, Onitsha.
The Governor also said the State Government has
confiscated all assets belonging to the owner of the hotel who he said had been
arrested together with his staff. He explained that the action was in line with
the policy of his administration to sustain the fight against crime and criminality.
Isn't it ironical that the same Peter Obi who
accused Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola of illegal deportation of Igbos
from Lagos also carried out these demolitions as if we are still living in the
stone age.
Many Igbos have been up in arms against the Lagos
governor for illegally deporting 72 Igbo destitutes from Lagos to Onitsha, same
Anambra State. Imagine if an Igbo man's hotel in Lagos State is demolished in
the same manner on a mere suspicion of a human head being found on the premise,
would all Igbos not be up in arms against the offending governor?
Can Obi unilaterally demolish someone's place of
business without a court issued warrant. Obi in this case is the prosecutor,
the jury and the judge. Whatever happened to being innocent until proven
guilty?
Nigeria appears to be a jungle where everyone is
lord unto himself. The Police is now a tool for personal vendetta.
Many Nigerians condemned this stupidity last
year or so, when Governor Obi unilaterally demolished a suspected
kidnapper's bungalow in Oraifite. Those that condemned the move was
irrationally accused by Obi's supporters of being sympathetic to criminals
and cultists.
I fully agree with Nebukadineze Adiele who
in condemning Fashola's wrong moves unequivocally also said:
"a state governor has no authority to confiscate anyone's property and
demolish it, local ordnance or no local ordinance -- he needs an order of the
court. I even pointed out the stupidity in demolishing the property when
homeless people or even civil servants can be housed in them. Or that the
property can be sold and its proceeds used to compensate victims of the crimes
that generated it. Above, I stressed that if the property is not demolished and
the owner gets eventually exonerated, he could have his property back. In
addition, demolishing the property creates an eyesore and a refuge dump within
the community, especially if a replacement was not immediately constructed.
"Governor Peter Obi, even though he has been
frugal with the peoples money, is not very bright in certain areas. He exudes
typical Anambara truck pusher or market trader mentality, his education and
experience in the corporate world notwithstanding. It seems to me that he is
not beyond being envious, vindictive, and bitchy.
"It smacks of inexplicable stupidity that
Peter Obi would demolish the property of a man who has not being convicted of
any crimes; a commercial property that was accessible to anyone who could pay
for room rental and could implant human skulls there; a property that is now a
crime scene, thereby tampering with evidence and due process of the law. To
carry out such an extra constitutional action in the midst of the uproar
surrounding Fashola's extra constitutional action is dumb beyond tolerance.
"I am disappointed in Peter Obi and if he
does not stop himself from this type of agboro behavior, he will end his
governorship in disgrace and tarnish his accomplishments of eight years."
Another commentator also wrote: "Governor
Obi is the kind of nonsense that has become standard for overbearing governors
in Nigeria. If the Governor as the Chief Executive of the state does not
believe in the rule of law let alone the due process, who else will? Of course
there are those who will applaud Governor for taking the law into his hands.
Clearly the Nigerian Judiciary has failed everyone and that is why the
Governor should work to ensure that the judiciary works for the benefit of the
people, and not to abuse it. If the Governor believes the owners of the
hotel are involved in the crime, he should get his Attorney-General to go court
to prove it. Things are bad enough the way they are. This type of behavior by a
sitting Governor will only encourage vigilance that has resulted in the loss of
many innocent lives.
"I hope the owners of the hotel he destroyed
take him and his government for court for damages and abuse of office. Even if
the Governor can prove that the owners of the hotel are involved in the heinous
crime he will still be liable for damages for failing to follow due process.
Governors have no right to engage in fragrant abuse of power such as one of
arrogating to themselves the right to authorize the destruction of private
property without first going to court. It is about time someone held the
Governor accountable. The Governor is full of himself and is fond of employing
all forms of propaganda for cheap popularity. I hope someone tells him that he
will best be remembered for upholding the rule of law and not for the level of
unnecessary sensationalism, he likes to create!"
