…We must choose law, not emotions – Omotoso
The Lagos State Government has faulted former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over his comments on the recent demolition exercise at the Trade Fair Complex, insisting that the affected structures had no valid approvals.
In a statement titled “Obi Wrong on Trade Fair Complex”, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, accused Obi of attempting to mislead the public with “emotional theatrics and misinformation.”
Obi, during his visit to the complex, praised traders for their “restraint” and described the demolitions as “a test of impunity, justice and compassion.” But Omotoso said the remarks were misleading, stressing that the traders ignored repeated calls to regularise their papers under a general amnesty programme introduced by the state government.
“The owners got ample time to regularise their papers when the state government declared a general amnesty last year, which was extended several times. They shunned the offer,” Omotoso said.
He added that officials of the Ministry of Physical Planning were once attacked at the site, forcing police to intervene, while subsequent invitations for dialogue were ignored by the traders.
On the issue of approvals, Omotoso clarified that the Federal Government-created Trade Fair Complex Management Board only has the power to manage leases and commercial activities, not building approvals.
“Physical planning and building permits fall strictly under the purview of the Lagos State Government,” he explained, citing the Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Act (1992) and a 2003 Supreme Court judgment which upheld states’ authority to regulate developments within their territories.
Omotoso warned that any construction without state approval remains illegal, regardless of federal allocation. “The Trade Fair Complex Board can allocate spaces, but approvals for any construction must come from Lagos State Government. Otherwise, such developments are illegal,” he stated.
He concluded by urging Nigerians to choose due process over political sentiment: “We must decide the kind of society we want—one governed by law or one run by emotions, fueled by political interests.”
