A Redeemed Church Pastor in Ibadan, Bode Oladepo has challenged the authority of the Governor of Oyo State Senator Abiola Ajimobi for establishing the office of the Bureau of Urban and Physical Planning, saying it has no basis in law and has directed members they could build without statutory permit.
According to the Pastor, the Town and Physical Planning department is the only statutory government establishment which has the final say on building construction and approvals which is at the discretion of its senior officials.
This was disclosed by a Director of Town Planning at the Lagelu Local Government, Alegongo Akobo office of the Town Planning department in Ibadan.
Quoting Oladepo, Town Planner Animashaun maintained that the statutory 3-metre setbacks between buildings and perimeter fences is not known to law and that building approval and what may be consider infractions in building approvals, is only at the discretion of the law. Challenging Governor Ajimobi to prove where it was stated in law that builders must observe the time-tested law.
He maintained that all power is rested on approving authorities, saying that what officials of the Town Planning department says it is law, and such powers can be exercised in favour of whoever it pleases them.
“Officials if the Town Planning department used discretionary powers whenever they feel and they only can tell who has contravened the Town Planning rules. They can tell who should shift and who should state in any dispute. They are the final arbiter, and whoever the say is right is ultimately right”.
Asked about the health hazards to other neighbors involved in some circumstances, Oladepo maintained that, whoever they favoured should be considered right because all powers have been rested in them, sating approvals are mere government formalities.
Investigations however showed that Oladepo has been issuing fake approvals to some members of his church in contravention of government building laws to prove his points to challenge Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s new Bureau of Urban and Physical development.
