CLO Urges Tinubu To Stop Proposed Lease Of Historic Onitsha Political Party Office Pending Court Verdict
As debates over land ownership and public assets continue to test Nigeria’s commitment to the rule of law, the Civil Liberties Organization (CLO), Anambra State Branch, has called on President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy to halt the proposed leasing of a historic political party office in Onitsha until ongoing court proceedings are concluded.
The organisation warned that proceeding with the lease of the property located on Niger Street, Fegge, Onitsha South Local Government Area, could undermine the judicial process and trigger avoidable tension in the commercial city.
The building, constructed during Nigeria’s Third Republic by former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, to serve the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) and National Republican Convention (NRC), has been at the centre of a legal dispute since 2020.
According to a statement issued in Awka and signed by the Chairman of CLO Anambra State, Evangelist Comrade Vincent Ezekwueme, the suit involves the Ogbo family of Umuasele Village, Onitsha, which claims customary ownership of the land, and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).
Ezekwueme urged all parties to maintain the status quo and allow the courts to determine the matter, stressing that respect for due process remains essential to sustaining public confidence in government institutions.
He appealed to President Tinubu to use the spirit of Democracy Day to ensure that all stakeholders respect the ongoing legal process, describing it as the surest way to preserve peace, stability and public trust.
The CLO further reaffirmed its commitment to the defence of civil liberties, justice and the rule of law, warning against any action capable of undermining peace and democratic values in Anambra State and the country at large.
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