Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya and Gombe PDP Governorship candidate, Jibril Danbarde
By Our Reporter
The campaign office of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate of Gombe State, Alhaji Jibrin Danbarde, has been demolished by the Gombe State Urban Development Authority (GOSUDA). The Agency is under the watch of Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya, who was elected as Executive Governor of Gombe State on 9 March 2019, under the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
The office was first attacked on March 23, 2022 despite an injunction by Gombe State High Court issued earlier on.
Danbarde has condemned the destruction of his campaign office despite a court order restraining the State Government from doing so.
The PDP governorship candidate currently in the UK told newsmen virtually on Tuesday he would continue to take legal means to address what he described as politically-motivated action from the state government.
“Our campaign office has been demolished by the Gombe state government in spite of an order of interim injunction prohibiting the state government from demolishing or attempting to demolish the building.
“Sometimes in December 2021 we planned to complete the construction of the main reception office and we went to the state Development Board to validate an already existing approved building plan alongside our billboard which was approved sometime in 2018,”
The office located on in the state capital is now a shadow of itself as a greater part of the campaign office was destroyed with debris of papers, computers, furniture, among other property scattered all over the places.
In an August 21, 2022 GOSUPDA explained that the structure was pulled down because there was no approval obtained to build it at the location, adding that it only granted approval to the Gombe Good Leadership Association to erect a billboard since the location is directly opposite the presidential lounge.
The GOSUPDA said it has notified the association that a permanent structure was being erected by a vacation order issued on July 22, 2022.
“It is noticed that an unauthorized structure has been constructed or placed on an access road, drainage, water course, government land or open land.
“Your placement of the properties is a breach of some sections of the land use act Decree of 1978, urban and regional planning and development board law of 2001.
“Since your action contravened the law mentioned, you are forthwith requested to remove or demolish the structure. Should you fail to comply with the above directives, your structure will be removed by the board on your behalf.
“You or your organization will settle the cost incurred by the board in the demolition or removal exercise in accordance with the provisions of the planning laws.”
The authority gave the NGO notice to comply with the notice and failure to do so resulted in the demotion of the said illegal structure.
