Action Democratic Party (ADP) governorship candidate in Lagos State in the 2019 election, Mr Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi, has described as unfortunate the Presidency’s response to the invasion of courtroom in Abuja by operatives of the Directorate of State Security (DSS) in their attempt to re-arrest the Convener of #RevolutionNow Movement and Sahara Reporters’ publisher, Mr Omoyele Sowore, last Friday, saying Nigeria as a nation is into democracy and not under military dictatorship.
Presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, in a statement, had defended the DSS action, saying contrary to claims by critics, the agency did not need to clear with the Presidency before it could deal with any matter it considers as a threat to national security.
Gbadamosi gave his reaction on Sunday while speaking with newsmen on the sideline of a ceremony, “Real Estate Developers Award,” where his estate, Amen Estate bagged the “Happiest Community Award.”
The businessman turned politician, while describing the Presidency’s statement as unfortunate, said it was something that handlers of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, and in particular the media outfit, needed a serious talk into as they had dragged Nigeria into serious disrepute.
According to Gbadamosi, the country needs to come back from that inglorious position as quickly as it can, saying handlers of the Buhari’s administration needed to retrace their steps as Nigeria is currently practising democracy and, therefore, not under military dictatorship, adding: “But they are acting as if in fact, they are under a military jackboot that’s not the case, we are not giving in to have that.”
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“We saw the amazing, unbelievable scene where a courtroom was invaded by security officials which has been excused recently by the aides of government that the invasion was organized by the man who has gone to court to seek relief, Sowore himself.
“Of course, that was the most unfortunate statement to make and that’s something that perhaps handlers of Buhari’s administration, the media outfit, needs a serious talk into because they have dragged Nigeria seriously into disrepute and we need to come back from that as quickly as we can,” the ADP governorship candidate said.
“They need to retrace their steps, this is a democracy, this is not a military dictatorship, but they are acting as if in fact, they are under a military jackboot that’s not the case, we are not giving in to have that,” he added.
On the issue of Land Use Act, Gbadamosi said there was no real security of titles because the governors retained the right to revoke the Certificate of Occupancy (CofO) that they issued, noting that it was always a herculean task for anybody to obtain such document even in states like Lagos.
He contended that the Land Use Act was not a perfect system, saying it was something Nigerians “to work with for the time being and work out something better until we can review it to give our people freehold to their land.”
“Until that time, the system as it were should be made to work. That the system is not working is also another reason why the Land Use Act should be revoked, the governor should not have that much power over the lands of the people,” the ADP chieftain said.
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