By Jethro Ibileke
Tension is brewing in Benin City as the Edo State Government has marked Eterno Hotel, a property owned by prominent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Mathew Iduoriyemkewen, for demolition, sparking outrage and political speculation.
The Eterno Hotel, situated in the upscale Government Reservation Area (GRA) of Benin and a known hub of political activity, was once used as a temporary PDP secretariat after the party was reportedly ousted from its Airport Road office by All Progressives Congress (APC) Acting Chairman, Emperor Jarret Tenebe.
Officials from the Edo State Development and Building Control Agency (ESDBCA) inscribed the code “29.425 ESDBCA” on the building, a standard marking for structures slated for demolition.
No official explanation has been offered, further fuelling public concern.
A visibly distressed Iduoriyemkewen condemned the move, calling it a direct attack on his livelihood.
“I don’t know why a state would want to destroy an indigene’s investment. I don’t know whether it is politics they are playing,” he said.
“They revoked the Certificate of Occupancy not long ago, now this. It’s baffling.”
The move has raised eyebrows across political circles, with many questioning the timing and motives behind the government’s action against a high-profile opposition figure’s property.
