An Ado Ekiti oil dealer, Chief Remi Oguntuase, (aka Remog) has described the demolition of his filling station under construction as “politically motivated, malicious and act of vendetta” by Governor Ayo Fayose.
Oguntuase popularly known in social and political circles as REMOG said he had valid papers and received clearance from regulatory agencies before he started constructing the demolished station located on Ilawe Road in Irona area of Ado Ekiti.
The filling station was one of the three demolished by government agents on Tuesday on the grounds that standards guiding construction of such projects were violated.
Speaking with reporters on Wednesday at the scene of the demolished filling station, Oguntuase alleged that Fayose led the demolition squad, wearing shorts and supervised the exercise for some minutes before leaving the place.
Oguntuase, an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain said Fayose during his first tenure of office destroyed the first petrol station along Ajilosun area, alleging that the latest demolition was because he is an opposition figure.
The businessman said he complied with the government order to stop work on the project following the January 8 fire that gutted a filling station belonging to Strive Energy Limited in Ijigbo area of the town.
He said another filling station was demolished on Ilawe Road by the governor so as to hide the alleged political undertone behind the action.
Oguntuase 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 are 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.
“After the January 8 fire incident at Strive Energy, he (Fayose) ordered that we stopped work and I complied and dialogue has been going on. The Ewi and Commissioner of Police called us yesterday (Tuesday).
“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.”
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