Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has condemned the demolition of plazas at the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, Ojo, describing the exercise as unjust and economically destructive.
The demolitions were carried out by the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning, alongside the Lagos State Building Control Agency, Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency, and the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority.
Obi, who visited the site in the company of lawmakers including Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South) and Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central), said the plazas were demolished despite traders presenting valid approvals.
“I must commend the traders for their remarkable restraint and calm in the face of such painful loss,” Obi said, adding that several senators and members of the House of Representatives had pledged to investigate the circumstances of the demolition to prevent a recurrence.
He urged governments at all levels to exercise fairness, compassion, and justice in dealing with citizens, especially during a period of widespread economic difficulty.
“Many of the affected traders invested heavily often through loans in the hope of securing their livelihoods and contributing to the wider economy,” Obi noted. “To destroy such legitimate investments without due process is not only unjust but also economically destructive.”
The former Anambra State governor stressed that a nation aspiring to progress must protect enterprise, encourage productivity, and uphold the dignity of its citizens.
“Incidents like this should have no place in a nation that aspires to fairness, stability, and shared prosperity,” he added.
