The Minister, Federal Capital Territory Administration, Nyesom Wike, has revoked 167 plots of land in some highbrow districts of the nation’s capital, Abuja.
Some of the revoked plots belonged to the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi; the former Senate Chief Whip, Udoma Udoma; the former Cross River Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke; the first Minister of the Niger Delta, Ufot Ekaette; and the late publisher of Leadership Newspaper, Sam Nda-Isaiah.
In a notice issued Thursday night, the FTC Administration said the plots were revoked due to the failure of their allottees to develop them.
“The Federal Capital Territory Administration hereby informs the general public that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory has, in the exercise of the powers conferred on him under Section 28(5)(a) and (b) of the Land Use Act 1978, revoked the under-listed plots with names and titles as reflected in our records for continued contravention of the terms of development of the Right of Occupancy, to wit non-development,” the notice signed by the Permanent Secretary, Olusade Adesola, stated.
Some of the plots revoked in Maitama District A05 had the names of former Cross River governor, Senator Liyel Imoke; Musa Egu; Hassan Hadejia; and Ishaya Baba.
On his first day in office as the Minister of the FCT, Wike vowed to revoke any land contravening the Abuja Land Use Act, no matter who was involved. He had consequently given a two-week grace to allottees to pay their ground rents or risk revocation of their allocations.