The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has strongly criticized the demolition of plazas at the popular Trade Fair Complex in Ojo, Lagos State, calling the exercise “unjust and economically destructive.”
The demolition, executed by officials from the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning, the Building Control Agency, the Urban Renewal Agency, and the Physical Planning Permit Authority, has sparked heated reactions.
During a visit to the Auto Spare Parts and Machinery Dealers Association (ASPAMDA) section of the market on Tuesday, Obi—accompanied by Senators Enyinnaya Abaribe and Victor Umeh—insisted the affected plazas had valid approvals. He noted that some National Assembly members had already pledged to probe the incident to prevent future occurrences.
Commending the traders for exercising restraint despite heavy financial losses, Obi urged leaders to act with “compassion, fairness, and justice.” He stressed that many traders had taken loans to establish their businesses, only for their investments to be wiped out. “To destroy such legitimate investments without due process is not only unjust but also economically destructive,” he said.
However, the Lagos State Government has rejected Obi’s claims. Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, accused him of “whipping up sentiment,” insisting the buildings were illegal. According to him, the affected owners lacked valid approvals and ignored repeated amnesty opportunities to regularize their documents.
Omotoso further alleged that state officials were attacked when they visited the site, while attempts at dialogue were dismissed. He clarified that although the Trade Fair Management Board can allocate spaces, it has no authority to approve construction, as planning control lies solely with Lagos State.
Citing a 2003 Supreme Court judgment, the Commissioner emphasized that all physical developments in Lagos—even on federal lands—must comply with state planning laws, except in exclusive federal enclaves such as military bases. He added that the government reserves the right to seal or demolish structures that fail to meet planning standards.
For now, the controversy continues: traders count their losses, Obi calls for fairness, and the state government maintains it acted within the law.
