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Ajimobi’s Burial: We Violated Oyo Law On Land Use — Seyi Makinde
Governor of Oyo state, Seyi Makinde, says his administration approval of former governor of the state, Abiola Ajimobi, burial at his Oluyole Estate residence was against the established land use rule of the state.
Ajimobi died last Thursday of multiple organ failure following complications from COVID-19 at First Cardiologist Consultant, Hospital in Lagos. He was 70 years.
The burial was initially slated for Friday, but the event was shifted following the family’s consultations with the governments of Lagos and Oyo.
However, Taiwo Adisa, the governor’s spokesman, Taiwo Adisa, in a statement said the state government was not to be blamed for the delay of the burial.
He disclosed that the family of the deceased had approached the government through a proxy to sought approval to bury the late former governor on a parcel of land at Agodi GRA, but the request was declined because the land was a subject of legal dispute.
Be that has it may, he said the governor allowed the late former governor to be buried at his residence against the state rules on land.
Also Read: Ajimobi Laid To Rest In Ibadan Amid Tight Security
He described the insinuation that the governor impeded the burial of the governor as a ‘wicked lie’
“In view of the intense enquiries from news media organisations regarding the perceived delay in burying the late former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, the Oyo State Government wishes to place on record that there is no truth in the rumour making the rounds that the burial is being delayed by the state government,” he said.
“The rumour, which is being deliberately spread to give the state government a bad name and to play undue politics with the dead, initially came by the way of social media gossip, which gained traction to attract the attention of traditional media outfits.
“Several media outfits reached out to the Media Office of the Governor of Oyo State to make enquiries on this barefaced lie on Saturday.
“Let it be stated clearly that the Governor of Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde, has played no role at all in causing any delay whatsoever regarding the burial of his immediate predecessor, Senator Ajimobi.
“The truth of the matter is that the family, through a proxy, approached the state government and sought approval to bury the late governor on a plot of land at Agodi GRA, which is currently under litigation. Incidentally, it was the same former Governor Ajimobi who instituted the legal action.
“Governor Seyi Makinde had no choice than to state the facts as they are to the emissaries and turn down the request.
“Governor Makinde, however, against the established land use rule in Oyo State, gave approval that the family can bury the late governor in his Oluyole Estate residence.
“It is to be noted that the rules guiding land use in Government Reservation Areas (GRA) forbid the burial of bodies in such locations as Oluyole Estate and Agodi GRA.
“Let us also put on record that whereas the family did not follow the laid down protocols in passing information on the sickness and eventual demise of Senator Ajimobi, Governor Makinde overlooked all that and directed the full cooperation of the government with the family on this matter.
“It can only amount to a wicked lie to insinuate that the incumbent government in Oyo State attempted to obstruct the burial of the immediate past governor.”
Ajimobi was buried amid tight security, on Sunday.
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