•It’s politics taken too far -Atiku
From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, said the revocation of the Right of Occupancy (R of O) to its multi-billion naira new national secretariat under construction by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) was an attempt by the ruling party to stifle opposition in the country.
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, who confirmed that the Right of Occupancy of its present national secretariat, popularly known as Wadata Plaza, was also revoked, said the action of the government was condemnable.
The FCTA’s Department of Land Administration, had in a letter addressed to the PDP national chairman, informed the party of the revocation of R of O of its plot located at the Central Business District, Abuja, where the opposition party is constructing a new national secretariat. The PDP had in 2008 secured the plot of land for the construction of a new national secretariat.
In March 2010, the opposition party awarded a contract of N11.5 billion for the construction of the new national secretariat located beside the National Library. The project was expected to be completed within 126 weeks.
Apart from a fund raising organised by the party in 2008, prior to the take off of the project, where it raised N6 billion, the PDP also held another funding raising in 2014, where it raised N21 billion.
However, the project was eventually abandoned after the PDP lost the 2015 presidential election.
Though the 12- storey building has been plastered, the windows and doors are yet to be installed. Also, wiring, tiles and other interior finishing have equally not been done.
Three years ago, PDP leadership under its immediate past national chairman, Iyorochia Ayu, promised to complete the project. However, work was yet to resume at the new national secretariat until the revocation of the opposition party’s R of O.
Ologunagba told Daily Sun that the move by the All Progressives Congress (APC) government to revoke the Right of Occupancy is condemnable
“It is aimed at stifling opposition in this country and of course a drive towards totalitarianism. And it is a threat to democracy. The NWC is meeting and I will get back to you shortly with a detailed response of our party to this development.
“To let you know how despicable this action is, it is both properties. Both the new one under construction and the one the PDP has been occupying for almost two decades – the Wadata Plaza. It is an attempt to stifle opposition.”
When Daily Sun contacted the chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees ( BoT), Adolphus Wabara, he declined to comment. “No comment. No comment,” he retorted.
However, former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, accused the government of politicising the issue unduly.
Atiku, who spoke through his media aide, Paul Ibe, told Daily Sun, that “they are politicising whatever it is. There are better ways of resolving this; assuming without conceding that they are owing tenement rate. It is clear that this is an undue politicization of this matter. “