By Tpl. Umar Shuaibu
From John Jatau Kadiya the first FCT Minister, Muhammadu Musa Bello was the 15th, before the advent of Nyesom Wike as the 16th. These were the substantive Ministers with the exclusion of Ministers of States. There were virtually fewer qualified applicants than the available lands during the era of the initial Ministers. That was due to the initial apathy about the reality of the Abuja project. But the situation later changed.
Just as all the subsequent FCT Ministers, the immediate past FCT Minister Muhammadu Musa Bello was also confronted with barrages of request for lands allocation which he resisted, not because he denied, but because of the absence of what to give. However, such excuse would not be tenable to the desperate citizens in need.
Despite the pressure, the former Minister never contemplated on any form of massive revocation exercise to commandeer lands in the layouts made by his predecessors in order to satisfy himself or the demands of any of his kin and cronies. In fact he doesn’t even need any land for himself, but to deliver the needs, as expected, for his statutory function as the FCT Minister.
Rather, what he did was to engage the relevant departments, which unambiguously, identified and designed the Maitama II District among others. It was a new layout created and allocated by the immediate past FCT Minister’s regime and it was very successful. The meticulous and painstaking procedure should be worthy of emulation by all subsequent FCT Ministers who truly want to work.
If it wasn’t successful and attractive Nyesom Wike, his successor would not be attracted to the extent of employing all bizarre excuses in order to coldly justify his so-called revocations so that he can hijack the titles and reallocate to his cronies. Instead of thinking out of the box, to create his own scheme, he would rather reap by rubbishing the achievements of others.
The Wike Administration has openly exhibited hunger and glaring penchant for plots and landed property amassment. This is completely opposite to the disposition of the immediate past Minister and his principal, the former President. Even their enemies can testify to that fact. Neither Muhammadu Musa Bello, nor his principal are beneficiaries of a single plot in the layout. The records are there for verification.
Unfortunately, speculations were peddled intended at tarnishing the image of the former President that he was also a beneficiary of the Maitama II allocations which were revoked by Wike. This speculation had been debunked by Malam Garba Shehu. But, till date there was no comment from the FCT Administration.
By their antecedents, the mindset of many people in power, would never believe that there are people that can occupy such ‘sensitive and lucrative positions’, without using the positions to amass wealth, lands and all the worldly paraphernalia for their personal benefits. Anyhow they believe, that was the stark reality.
By his disposition, Buhari will never contemplate the creation of his own foundation in order to remain relevant when out of power, but other past leaders did. However, his close associates floated the idea. In any case, its establishment with corporate registration and its application for land is not an offence.
It was gathered that the high amount for the bill issued to the foundation was because it is located in a commercial area, which attracts higher rate than the other uses. The promoters of the Foundation were well aware that their principal had earlier rejected an offer to be allocated a land in Abuja during his tenure, and understood that he would never give his consent on attending to such a high bill.
Meanwhile, the payment of premium on Certificate of Occupancy, not ground rent, is not among the conditions listed in the Letters of Offer that would attract revocation. Not because it concerns the Buhari Foundation, but to revoke plots allocation on such illogical grounds is a very high level highhandedness and arrogance by Nyesom Wike. It is also a ridicule to the psyche of all the plots owners.
Buhari and his FCT Minister would have used their power to grant waiver for the high bill, which is a tradition in the FCT, regarding such types of foundations for former National Leaders. But, it will not be in his character to grant such waivers to a Buhari Foundation when he is the one in power. It was left for the succeeding regime to decide on whether to grant the waiver or not.
The Administration is aware that waivers are granted, which it would also have been granting for others. Yet it refused for the Buhari Foundation. The absence of courtesy and insensitivity from Barr Nyesom Wike, to publish such name among the revoked plots fully aware that it will attract negative comments at the person of the former President, should speak volumes on the relationship between the former President and the present Administration.
