…Says sales of Nasarawa properties not new.
From Abel Leonard, Lafia
The Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Nasarawa State, Francis Orogu, has raised allegations against the government of Governor Abdullahi Sule, the Executive suggesting its involvement in sponsoring a recent protest by Nasarawa indigenes in Lagos.
The protest centred around the sale of the Nasarawa State Liaison Office situated in Apapa, Lagos state, a deal orchestrated by the previous administration led by Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura.
According to Orogu, the accusation stems from the apparent political discord between Governor Sule and Al-Makura. Orogu expressed his views during a press briefing made in the Lafia PDP office Secretariat where he addressed the protest organized by the Nasarawa Development Association’s Lagos State chapter concerning the sale of the liaison office. He argued that this protest was an attempt to tarnish the reputation of Al-Makura.
Orogu, who serves as the opposition leader in the state, emphasized that the sale of state properties in Nasarawa was not a hidden matter, as it was widely known among the public. He elaborated that during his tenure as governor, Senator Al-Makura had forwarded the state government’s intention to auction dilapidated government properties, including the Lagos Liaison Office, to the 5th Assembly, which swiftly approved the move.
Furthermore, Orogu disclosed that he had challenged the process during his time as a member of the 5th Assembly. He had taken the government to court over the property sales, but the ruling by the state’s chief judge did not favour his stance. Currently, the case is pending at the Court of Appeal in Makurdi.
Orogu questioned the timing of the protest, wondering why the group did not voice their concerns four years ago when Governor Sule and Al-Makura were political allies. He characterized the protest as a “tactical conspiracy by Governor Sule’s government to target Al-Makura, who did not support him during the governorship petition tribunal.”
Orogu further clarified that he was not defending Al-Makura but was instead debunking claims made by the protest group and their alleged sponsors, suggesting that their intentions were not genuine but politically motivated, given the political fallout between the two leaders.