Society Gists

In the aftermath of the partial demolition of Datkem Plaza, the legal counsel to the management of the company has filed a new application against key officials from the Ogun State Planning Permit Authority and the Ministry of Physical Planning.

The application, presented on behalf of the claimant, DATKEM Plaza and sighted by this platform invokes the authority of the court under Form 35 pursuant to Order 41 Rule 10(1) of the High Court of Ogun State (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2014.

The targeted individuals in this legal action are: TPL Idowu James – The General Manager of the 3rd Defendant/Respondent. Mr. Tommy Hamzat – Defendant/Respondent’s Zonal officer in charge of Ijebu Ode Zone of the 3rd Defendant/Respondent.
Engineer Abiodun – The Permanent Secretary in the office of the 4th Defendant/Respondent. Adeyinka Kotoye, S.A.N of PAGE Law Office, the legal firm representing Yeye Daniel, conveyed the grounds for this application:

“On September 11, 2023, the court ordered all parties to file affidavits depicting the status of the property as of that date,” Kotoye explained.
“In strict compliance with this court order, the Claimant/Applicant promptly submitted an affidavit of status quo, including photographic evidence illustrating the extent of the property’s vandalization.”

“Despite the clear court order, the Defendant/Respondents, acting through the aforementioned officials, have persisted in visiting the property, even going so far as to post a new notice on September 11, 2023,” Kotoye continued.

“Furthermore, these officials have employed red tape to seal off the property, seemingly with the intent to inflict further damage or potentially demolish it.”

He went on to emphasize, “Armed individuals in plain clothing have been stationed near the property, blatantly disregarding the court’s directive. Moreover, the 1st Defendant/Respondent publicly dismissed this legal action as ‘frivolous’ during a press conference, making several contemptuous statements.”

The legal application asserts that these actions constitute a glaring and blatant violation of the court’s explicit orders, demanding that the Defendant/Respondents be held in contempt. Attached to the submission is a copy of Form 35, the legal document utilized for this application.

This recent development injects a new layer of complexity into the already contentious legal battle surrounding DATKEM Plaza.

However, the case has drawn significant public attention, sparking widespread demands for accountability in the aftermath of the vandalization of the prominent property owned by Yeye Olufunke Daniel, the wife of former Governor and current Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, the vandalization on Sunday, September 10, 2023, has been vehemently condemned as an act of executive recklessness, lawlessness, and irresponsibility.