The Association of Business Owners at the Ondo State Trade Fair Complex has moved against the planned demolition of the complex by the state government.

According to the business owners within the complex, which is situated in Alagbaka, Akure, the state capital, the state government would be acting illegally on the planned action as their lease agreement has not expired.

Speaking through the Chairman of the Association, Prince Adelokiki Orimisan, and Secretary Mr Akinwande Segun, a notice to quit the complex was served on his members on March 24, 2022, which indicated that all legal occupants should vacate the premises.

The quit notice was said to have been served in order to pave the way for the demolition of the complex by April 7th which will be carried out by the state government.

“To start with, we are all legal occupants of the said property who entered into a proper and documented lease agreement with the Ondo State Government.

“And that we are still having our lease agreement running for years.

“While some of our members just renewed their tenancy agreement with the government, some still have like a year or two running before the expiration of their tenancy which is subject to renewal as the case may be.

“It’s pertinent to state without equivocation that the Ondo State Government as led by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has not followed the due process of law in this case. To what intent, we don’t know!

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“While we have briefed our lawyers to initiate legal proceedings against the government on the proposed illegal demolition, we are duty-bound as citizens of this state to let the people know what the potential evils the demolition of the Trade Fair Complex portends.

“The Trade Fair Complex was established by the government of the first civilian Governor of Ondo State, Chief Michael Adekunle Ajasin.

“Essentially, the complex was to allow business owners, innovators, inventors and budding entrepreneurs to have a common platform where they can showcase their business activities and ventures to attract buyers or even joint partners or venture capitalists who can invest in their businesses for expansion.

“Over the years, the place had been abandoned by successive administrations in the state due to their own acutely myopic economic management capacity.

“We ask that, in the alternative, the government should give us a one year notice to quit as required by one of the provisions of our tenancy agreement.

“We ask that if the government can no longer wait for the exhaustion of all the terms and agreements in our lease document, the government should relocate all legit business owners within the Complex to another place to be provided by the government with all expenses of the relocation borne by the government.”