Posted by By Tony Amokeodo on
An Ikeja High Court, on Thursday, ordered the Lagos State Government to unseal the private residence of Senator Musiliu Obanikoro at 39....
An Ikeja High Court, on Thursday, ordered the Lagos State Government to unseal the private residence of Senator Musiliu Obanikoro at 39, Oba Akinjobi Street GRA, Ikeja, Lagos.
But the presiding Justice Kazeem Alogba, also ordered Obanikoro to use the place strictly for residential purpose.
He further directed Obanikoro to refrain from disturbing the peace of the neighbourhood in the course of using his property.
Having listened to the argument of the lawyer to Lagos State, Mr Lawal Pedro, and that of Obanikoro, Mr. Yemi Okulaja (SAN), Justice Alogba also ordered that the state government should not demolish the GRA property.
Obanikoro had gone to court following the alleged sealing off of his GRA property by the state government on June 22 on the grounds that the senator had converted the residential area to his campaign office (commercial use).
Pedro, who is also the state Director of Litigation, had earlier informed the court that if Obanikoro‘s GRA property was to be used for other purpose, the claimant must re-apply for a change of status
He added that though the claimant claimed that the place was meant for residential, " I still maintain that we need to follow the law. If there is need to alter the current status for other purpose in future, he (the claimant) need to re-apply."
But Okulaja insisted that the place was meant for residential purpose, saying that that the development did not prevent his client from receiving visitors in his house.
The Senior Advocate also argued that his client is a politician who has people around him, saying that it would be unwise to say that Obanikoro should not receive visitors in his house.