The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last gubernatorial election in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, may drag the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, to court to challenge the revocation of parcels of land, including his own, located at Amagba Village, in Benin City.
The revocation notice issued by Obaseki has reinforced the divide among Edo residents along party lines, with supporters of the APC candidate describing the governor’s action as politically motivated and a renewal of the political battle to annihilate Ize-Iyamu, saying they thought the battle had ended at the Supreme Court.
But former aide to governor Obaseki, Adaze Emwanta, explained that the governor took the decision in the interest of the state, a power he derived from the Land Use Act and urged people who are laying claim to the affected parcels of land to heed the directive in the notice. He disclosed that “the land Ize-Iyamu is laying claim to, used to belong to the state government, and was meant for a government project. But Ize-Iyamu converted the land to his farmland”.
Though Ize-Iyamu would not respond to calls and a text message made by our reporters to shed light on his next line of action, a source close to him who pleaded anonymity said Ize-Iyamu had instructed his lawyers to challenge the revocation notice in court.
When contacted, one of his lawyers, Barrister K.O. Obamogie said: “This is something I don’t want to discuss in the pages of newspapers. Thank you.”
Also contacted to explain the rationale for the state government’s revocation notice, director of lands, Edo State Geographic Information Service (EDOGIS), Mrs A. O. Aihie said: “No comment. I am a civil servant. I have no comment on that.”
However, the state governor stated in the notice that he drew his powers to issue the revocation notice from the Land Use Act of 1978.
The land revocation notice, which was entitled: ‘Edo State Government Revocation Notice; Land Required For The Service of The Government of Edo State of Nigeria,’ was published in Vanguard Newspaper of June 25, 2021, and signed by governor Obaseki.
In the notice
The revocation notice issued by Obaseki has reinforced the divide among Edo residents along party lines, with supporters of the APC candidate describing the governor’s action as politically motivated and a renewal of the political battle to annihilate Ize-Iyamu, saying they thought the battle had ended at the Supreme Court.
Though Ize-Iyamu would not respond to calls and a text message made by our reporters to shed light on his next line of action, a source close to him who pleaded anonymity said Ize-Iyamu had instructed his lawyers to challenge the revocation notice in court.
