FCT Minister defends revocation of former First Lady’s plot

By Favour Nnabugwu

ABUJA—Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed, has defended the revocation of the controversial plot of land from the former First Lady, Hajiya Turai Yar’Adua to African First Ladies Peace Mission for the building of its secretariat in Abuja.

Special Assistant on Media to the FCT Minister, Mr. Nosike Ogbuenyi in a statement in Abuja, yesterday, said: “There is no ‘scandal’ whatsoever with regard to the altruistic corrective measure by FCT Minister to restore the land to the original allottee, the African First Ladies Peace Mission.”

He said African First Ladies Peace Mission was neither owned nor sponsored by the current First Lady of Nigeria, Dame Jonathan. He said the action of FCT Minister was not against any individual but aimed at ensuring policy consistency and the integrity of the process, adding that same was the reason for the re-allocation of the land to its institutional owners, the African First Ladies Peace Mission, through the Office of the First Lady.

He said: “The records are there and clear for all to see, showing that the land was first allocated to African First Ladies Peace Mission (through the Office of the First Lady) for the building of its secretariat in Abuja.

“That first allocation was, indeed, made over four years ago on June 9, 2008, bearing the allocation Number Misc 1011173.

“The allocation was clearly addressed to the African First Ladies Peace Mission as the original allottee with the purpose spelt out as the building of its continental secretariat.

“The record, however, curiously showed that along the line in February 2010, the allocation was inexplicably changed from the original and rightful allottee, which was African First Ladies Peace Mission, to a private non-governmental organisation, Women and Youth Empowerment Foundation, WAYEP, belonging to the then First Lady, Hajia Yar’Adua.”