UNIBEN lawyers flay demolition of varsity’s property

Senior lawyers of the University of Benin, UNIBEN, have condemned the action of Edo State Governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomole, in demolishing property allegedly belonging to the University without exhausting the due process of law.

An Edo State High Court had, on December 16, 2014, awarded the ownership of the property in contention to Edo State Government. Dissatisfied with the judgment, the university authorities appealed same on December 19 and also applied for stay of execution of the judgment

The notice of appeal and the motion for stay of execution were served on the state government by the bailiffs of the court and duly acknowledged by the counsel to the state government on December 21, 2014, the university insisted.

The Dean, Faculty of Law, UNIBEN, Prof. Richard Iduber, who addressed newsmen on the development, said: “I feel very embarrassed with this whole thing, because it is one of its kind. This is really taking things for granted. The architect is believed to be the governor of the state.

“It is most under handled for a thing like that to be done at this point in time. If you want to gather honey, you don’t kick over a beehive. I sometimes wonder whether my otherwise amiable governor is actually working for his party. I believe, as it has been in my mind for some time now, that he is probably working for the interest of another political party.

“Now look at it, you had victory at the court and you waited for no minute to destroy everything of value to the very building that you said that you gave out. It does not stand to reason in the first instance, because it amounts to destroying the wealth of the state, but there was no compelling reason for destroying the buildings. The former Vice-Chancellor had lived there for 30 years and a number of our staff have been living in their houses for the same number of years.

“We understand the hierarchy of courts in this country from the court of first instance, to the Court of Appeal and then to the Supreme Court. So, a man who wants justice to be done should allow people to have the opportunity of exhausting it all before demolishing the buildings. People can say yes, he wants to enjoy the fruits of his successful litigation, yes, at whose expense?”