Okpebholo approves N914m as compensation for Kabaka’s demolished hotel
Governor Monday Okpebholo has approved the sum of N914 million as compensation to the state youth leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Tony Adun, popularly known as Tony Kabaka, whose hotel was partly demolished in 2020 by Edo State Government.
Edo State Government under the administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki had in 2020 demolished part of T. Latifah Hotel and Suites owned by Tony Kabaka.
The State Government through the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, had earlier issued a seven-day notice to Kabaka to remove the hotel in the Ugbor area of Benin, asserting that it was built on a piece of land belonging to a public primary school.
Obaseki had said there was no political undertone in the decision to demolish the hotel as he had earlier warned against lawlessness in his administration.
“Businesses cannot thrive when there is anarchy and complete disrespect for the law. For us as a government whatever we need to do to ensure that there is law and order will be done.
“If you have done the wrong thing and taken over property not yours; to build on government property is the wrong thing to do. If you go and build on the road, that is not the right thing to do. If government tolerates that then more people will become lawless.
“Anybody who contravenes the law, no matter how highly placed you are in Edo State, you will be dealt with,” Obaseki had said.
Kabaka had also protested the demolition, calling the action of the State Government as a violation of a subsisting court injunction. According to him, the court was yet to deliver judgment on the suit filed against the State Government’s attempt to demolish his hotel.
“We are still in court. I have injunctions against the government. Judgment is on Friday. I have the Certificate of Occupancy of my house but I don’t have C of O of the hotel,” Kabaka had said.
During the Executive Council Meeting held on Friday September 26, 2025, presided over by Governor Okpebholo, the Governor approved the payment of N914m to the APC state youth leader, Tony Kabaka, as compensation for his demolished hotel.
Reports say that the payment of the N914m compensation was part of many approvals made by Governor Okpebholo at Friday’s Executive Council meeting.
The development has generated mixed reactions from members of the public. While some political supporters have praised Okpebholo’s action, many others have viewed it as a political compensation.
