Dr. Ope Banwo, the founder of Naija Lives Matter (NLM), has stated that Governor Dapo Abiodun cannot sign a 45-year contract with ARISE IIP using public resources and then tell the public to mind their business.
Banwo stated this following a landmark court judgement in which a Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta ordered the Ogun State Government to disclose the full details of its 45-year Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreement with ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms (ARISE IIP).
Justice Abiodun Adeyemi ordered the Ogun State Government and its key ministries to release critical documents and information relating to the 45-year Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreement between the Ogun State Government and ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms (ARISE IIP) to Naija Lives Matter and Dr. Banwo.
While reacting to the judgement, Dr. Banwo said:
“This judgment by Hon. Justice Abiodun Adeyemi is a clear directive that the Ogun State Government must open up the details of its 45-year contract with ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms.
“This is not about speculation.
“This is about the right of the people to know how a long-term agreement involving public resources was structured.
“The Court has affirmed that this information cannot be hidden.
“This is a defining moment for Gov. Dapo Abiodun and his government in Ogun State.
“We believe the Governor has an opportunity to demonstrate that, despite all the drama about him, he still respects the rule of law by choosing transparency over secrecy; accountability over avoidance; and respect for the rule of law over resistance, because at this point, disobedience of a lawful court order is not just a legal issue—it is a public accountability issue.
“And we at Naija Lives Matter are hopeful that Governor Dapo Abiodun will not add disregard for judicial authority to the list of questions already before the people of Ogun State. We expect all documents regarding the Ogun State–ARISE IIP project within 14 days, as ordered by the court.
“We hope other organizations fighting for transparency and accountability from our governments will be encouraged by this bold ruling to keep up the fight for justice in our nation.”
It would be recalled that Barrister Yemi Salman, Esq., filed the suit on behalf of Dr. Ope Banwo and the Naija Lives Matter movement, demanding transparency on the Remo Economic Industrial Cluster project in Sagamu.
Despite the scale and long-term implications of this deal, and direct requests to Dapo Abiodun and his government, key details of the project were deliberately not disclosed to the public.
As a result, NLM was forced to file a lawsuit against Abiodun and his government for refusal to release all relevant documents, as demanded under the FOIA Law.
