Senator Victor Umeh, who represents Anambra Central, has revealed that Peter Obi, the former governor of Anambra State and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, owns more than 200 shops in the recently demolished Trade Fair Complex in Lagos.
The Lagos State Government had earlier justified the demolition exercise, citing violations of urban planning and development regulations.
However, speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise programme, Senator Umeh strongly condemned the action, describing it as unlawful and unjust, particularly towards traders from the Southeast.
“More than 70 percent of the business owners in that complex are of Igbo origin,” Umeh noted.
“You can’t just move in and destroy people’s means of livelihood without due process. Peter Obi is not just a stakeholder, he’s one of the original developers of that complex. He owns a plaza with over 200 shops there, which he has held since 1995. He’s also a patron of the traders’ associations in the area.”
Umeh explained that Obi was compelled to respond publicly because displaced traders had reached out to him, seeking help over what they believed was an act of injustice.
“People called him because their properties were being destroyed and they had no one else to turn to. It’s wrong to claim he’s being provocative when the real provocation came from the state authorities acting unlawfully,” Umeh said.
The senator further challenged the legitimacy of the demolition, alleging that the land does not belong to the Lagos State Government, and suggesting that the action was carried out illegally and with ulterior motives.
