By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North YOLA—
Governor Murtala Nyako yesterday reacted with disbelief the closure of his official residence in the Maitama District of the Federal Capital Territory on the orders of the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed.
The governor said he was shocked over the decision by the FCT Minister to seal off his office without the courtesy of informing him of the alleged offence.Nyako, who made his feelings public through his Director of Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Ahmed Sajoh, described the action of the FCT Minister as the height of impunity being exhibited by the administration.
The governor noted with dismay that such a brutal and primitive action could be carried out by one arm of government against another in a democratic system without any notice as required even in a private dealing.The governor noted with dismay that the FCT Minister was acting in utmost bad faith by taking the provocative action against the government and people of Adamawa State without any justification.Gov. Nyako“The question we may ask is, did they notify us of any infraction and intention to seal the Governor’s Lodge? If that was done, is the Adamawa Governor’s Lodge, the only one in Abuja where meetings-whether social or political are held?” the governor’s aide asked.
However, the minister, yesterday, in a statement by his Special Assistant (Media), Nosike Ogbuenyi justified the action of the ministry and flayed the remarks of the governor and the Baraje-led New Peoples Democratic Party.Viewing the allegations as diversionary since it failed woefully to address the issues at stake, the minister said chief among the issues at stake is violation of land use purpose which cannot stand. The action by those persons behind the conversion remains illegal and abhorrent.
“The FCT is only interested in rule of law and not political posturing and propaganda. However, the point must be stressed that no person or group of persons is above the law. The action taken by the FCTA in sealing off the Adamawa Government Lodge was a normal administrative and not political measure. If Eze and his masters have any issue with the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, its Governors Forum or the Presidential Villa, they should channel their grievances properly and leave the FCTA out of it,” he added.Nyako insisted that the action was wrong. “You see, this is the impunity we are talking about and they have continued to act with more recklessness not minding that the spirit of inter-governmental relationship should operate with utmost good faith.
“This is a situation that all Nigerians of good conscience should rise against because if they treat a governor and a state like they are doing, what they would do to a private individual can best be imagined,” Sajoh noted. The sealed lodge is said to be the meeting point for members of the Abubakar Baraje facion of the Peoples Democratic Party, which has Nyako and six other PDP governors as members.
The FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed, is a staunch supporter of the Bamanga Tukur faction and a dependable ally of Mr. President.The Minister said on Saturday that he sealed the Adamawa Loge because it contravened the Abuja Master Plan by being used for meetings instead of residential purposes.A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Minister, Muhammad Hazat Sule, read, “The FCT Administration has sealed off the Adamawa State Governor’s Lodge in the Maitama District of the Federal Capital City for abuse of the Abuja Master Plan.
“All the governors’ lodges in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja are enshrined in the Abuja Master Plan to be for residential purposes but not for political party secretariat as Adamawa State Governor’s Lodge is currently being used.
“The Governor’s Lodge, as it is today, is being used as a political party office thereby negating the spirit of urban planning and causing nuisance and disturbance on the residents dwelling in that area of the city as well as inflicting undue pressure on the infrastructure and services therein, contrary to the principles of the Abuja Master Plan.”
–
See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/10/sealing-lodge-height-impunity-says-nyako/#sthash.sVOylMuI.dpuf
