The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP) has issued a 7-day ultimatum to Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State to repair the demolished part of the Yinka Ayefeye’s N800 million music house or be ready or be ready to face legal action.

SERAP also called on Ajimobi to immediately halt all further eviction and demolition of Fresh FM building and to show full respect for the safety and dignity of residents and owner of Fresh FM.

“We also urge you to immediately begin repairs of the Fresh FM building and to adequately compensate the radio station and its owner and publicly guarantee non-repetition,” it said.

The organization urged Ajimobi to “ensure full and effective respect for the rights to freedom of expression and media freedom in Oyo State. We request that you take this step within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter, failing which SERAP will take national and international legal actions to compel your government to act in the public interest and the overall interest of the rule of law.”

In the letter dated 21 August, 2018 and signed by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Timothy Adewale, the organization said, “We have information to suggest that the destruction of Fresh FM was based on political considerations and retaliation against the radio station on purported allegations of defamation against you. The facts suggest that the demolition of Fresh FM building failed to comply with the principle of lawfulness and reasonableness. The demolition was neither done in the public interest nor carried out to achieve a legitimate aim.”

The organization said, “This apparently unlawful action has set a bad precedent, and created a high level of uncertainty and anxiety among many radio stations and other media organizations in Oyo State about the future because of the likelihood of their buildings being demolished when they are deemed to broadcast views which the Oyo State authorities mat consider too critical or ‘defamatory’.”

The letter read in part: “By going ahead to demolish the Fresh FM building despite being served with the court papers in the case filed by the station, you implicitly obstructed access of the radio station and their owners to appropriate forms of legal protection, contrary to the provisions of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to which Nigeria is a state party and which is legally binding on the government of Oyo State.

“SERAP is seriously concerned that the Oyo State authorities carried out the demolition of Fresh FM building with wilful disregard for the dignity, health, and safety of residents and the owner, who is a person with disabilities. The demolition of the radio station has now exposed residents to the elements and the public to the risk of complete collapse of the building.

“Since your government’s action in this case suggests serious disregard for the safety and welfare of the residents of Fresh FM, the authorities’ conduct may have risen to a level of severity so as to constitute inhuman and degrading treatment of residents and owner, contrary to the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Nigeria is a state party.

“Your government has reportedly cut water, sewer, electricity, gas, and telephone lines to the radio station, rendering it uninhabitable and incapable of discharging its constitutional duties of informing the citizens and ensuring that government is both responsible and accountable to the people.

“We contend that the action by your government has no basis in our laws, which provide that no public authorities must resort to self-help and carry out forced evictions and demolitions without a properly obtained court order. Your government’s action also violates Nigeria’s international human rights obligations, including its obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to protect private property.

“Your government has responded to the demolition of Fresh FM building on Sunday 19 August 2018, claiming that it demolished the building worth over N800 million because your government was ‘carrying out its statutory role in the public interest. Your government claimed it gave “ample opportunity for Fresh FM to regularise its building plan”. Your government also claimed the demolition of the Fresh FM building was not politically motivated.

“However, available facts reveal that the demolition may have been influenced by political considerations, and done in retaliation for alleged defamation by Fresh FM. SERAP has seen an audio recording of you at the radio station in 2016 wherein you claimed to be under pressure from some of the members of your cabinet to demolish Fresh FM building on the ground that the radio station and its owner Mr Yinka did not support your political ambition but that you resisted the pressure to demolish.

“SERAP has also seen a letter dated 3rd July 2018 and signed by your Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Oluseun Abimbola wherein you alleged ‘libellous broadcast by Fresh FM 105.9.’ The letter claimed that during a programme “Political Circuit” on Fresh FM on Saturday 30th June 2018, the radio station ‘falsely accused, maliciously and wickedly misled the public and the entire world’ on your alleged interest in a private company.

“Assuming there was a legitimate claim in defamation against Fresh FM, the proper venue for you and your government would have been to seek legal redress in court and not to resort to self-help in the form of arbitrary demolition of the radio station building.

“The UN General Assembly has recognized the “fundamental obligation of governments (including that of Oyo State) to protect and improve houses and neighbourhoods, rather than damage or destroy them.

“Further, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in Article 17 provides: ‘Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.’ Similarly, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to which Nigeria is a state party provides in Article 14: ‘The right to property shall be guaranteed. It may only be encroached upon in the interest of public need or in the general interest of the community and in accordance with the provisions of appropriate laws.”


https://www.torimill.co/news/9513/governor-ajimobi-gets-7-day-ultimatum-to-repair-ayefeles-building.html

How we wish this can be possible, we would have been so much happy and declare a Barbecue party also....
But , unfortunately, nobody can fight the government!

Uncle Yinka will bounce back pretty soon.
For Sure!

OK o

These politicians need to go to china and see how they do construction.

Meanwhile, esteemed first bank customers, y'all can now perform wonderful transactions on the first mobile app, please click the link on my signature for more details on how to register, thanks .

Yinka will get justice no matter what ,you can’t cheat a disabled man that has made a living for himself despite knowing too well that many of his calibers with disabilities are either beggars or lazy ass people using disability as their own excuse for not being successful ..

Abe forget all these ultimatiums, i pray that fresh fm get justice

Awon ode, how many fight have they won against seating governors during their antecedent

Shît's gettin real.......ma jus balance enjoy d show

[img]https://media1./images/d8305dde14424a25518e862786161125/tenor.gif?itemid=5457118[/img]

This ultimatum is unnecessary because it carries no weight. They are better off organizing fundraiser for his supporters to donate money for him instead of making noise all over social media. I am sure he will appreciate that more.

We all know they can't win in court

Exwizard:
Awon ode, how many fight have they won against seating governors during their antecedent

There is always a first time or first person to win against seating governors during their antecedent

Medicine after death where were they before ?

Na wa oh

Who are these jokers who are giving an ultimatum to a sitting governor?!

Impunity at its peak

Everyone is trying to get cheap fame and publicity on this matter

post=70494386:
How we wish this can be possible, we would have been so much happy and declare a Barbecue party also....
But , unfortunately, nobody can fight the government!

Uncle Yinka will bounce back pretty soon.
For Sure!

Will u sharap there? Which stupid barbecue party are you declaring?



I'm not sure you are alright at all with the rubbish you normally post here. Nonsense

I dont think the threat of legal action has any weight in Nigeria. The courts are not credible. The judges are overrated. Using legal action to threathen anyone, moreso govt is a show of helplessness. We still have cases in court that were filed 3yrs ago that have not yet come up for hearing.

If only Nigerians are united.

This is called impunity

post=70494386:
How we wish this can be possible, we would have been so much happy and declare a Barbecue party also....
But , unfortunately, nobody can fight the government!

Uncle Yinka will bounce back pretty soon.
For Sure!

Uncle BBQ it seems you are a learner ooo...which one is "nobody can fight the government?"

Please who is SERAP?

No one can fight "Constituted Authority" in Nigeria
Ayefele will get to his feet again!
Support him in any way you can

SERAP and ultimatums ehn! As usual, nothing will come of this

BabaRamota1980:
I dont think the threat of legal action has any weight in Nigeria. The courts are not credible. The judges are overrated. Using legal action to threathen anyone, moreso govt is a show of helplessness. We still have cases in court that were filed 3yrs ago that have not yet come up for hearing.

You are very wrong sir, matters involving infringement upon the rights of the public or involving public officers and of continuous damages are in the eyes of the law not statute barred if well proven and the court is always open for it's speedy n fair trial.Go check law reports!!!

Ajimobi is stubborn, he won't repair anything...

Empty threat

akeentech:
Ajimobi is stubborn, he won't repair anything...

I swear these guys don’t know Ajimobi
Very stubborn and no nonsense man.

enemyofprogress:
Empty threat

DFake

Why will governor Tanko Al-makura of Nasarawa state not face the same thing over his tyrannical act on the Breeze FM own by Nawani Ezekiel? SERAP please take note of this. #Ta'alrebuildbreezeFMnow

post=70494386:
How we wish this can be possible, we would have been so much happy and declare a Barbecue party also....
But , unfortunately, nobody can fight the government!

Uncle Yinka will bounce back pretty soon.
For Sure!

Only in Nigeria and other 3rd World countries people can't fight the government. In civilized world, people fight the government all the time because the people are the government. Hope you get my gist.

SERAP Sherrap