Akwasi Addai Odike, presidential candidate of the United Progressive Party (UPP), has been dragged to a Kumasi High Court for claiming ownership of a disputed land.

Aside the UPP flagbearer, the plaintiffs—Obaapanin Adwoa Adowaa and Nana Ohene Tumfour, heads of the Royal Asamankani families—also sued the Ashanti Regional Lands Commission, the Attorney-General, the Progressive Transport Union (Santasi Branch) and Nana Kwampong Aboah II, the Regional Lands Commission Officer.

According to the plaintiffs, the UPP flagbearer and Nana Aboah II had with concerted efforts resorted to fraud to lay claim to a land which was currently a subject of litigation in a court.

According to the affidavit in support of the motion on notice for joinder filed by Nana Obiri Boahene of Enso Nyame Ye Chambers to tie Odike and Nana Aboah II to the action, the move would ensure that all issues with incidental title, occupation and possession, among others, are all effectually and completely resolved once and for all.

“This application to join Nana Aboah II is premised on the fact that notwithstanding the fact that the Lands Commission is already a party to the suit, he has on the frolic of his own teamed up with Odike to unlawfully lay claim to [the] entire land in dispute.”
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It may be recalled that DAILY GUIDE in its January 27, 2016 edition reported a story captioned, “Odike Chases Squatters in K’si”, in which the Lands Commission sought to recover a state land that had been sold to Odike.

The land, about six acres and located around the Santasi roundabout, is housing small and medium scale businesses, shops, a mini market and is also serving as a place of abode for some settlers of northern descent and a terminal for tipper truck drivers.

Squatters, numbering about 2,000, have been given notice to immediately vacate the site ahead of an application to redevelop the area by the private developer, Odike, who claims to be the leaseholder of the site.

He is said to be on the neck of the Lands Commission to execute a court order to get rid of the squatters.