Former President Muhammadu Buhari has no personal ties to a disputed plot of land in Abuja.
This is according to his ex-spokesperson, Garba Shehu.
The property, reportedly revoked by the Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA), was allocated to the Muhammadu Buhari Foundation, a non-profit organization associated with his name but not under his direct ownership.
Shehu clarified that the foundation legally acquired the land but faced challenges when the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) demanded an unusually high payment for the certificate of occupancy.
This led to the eventual revocation of the property.
He also dismissed claims suggesting Buhari’s personal involvement, recalling that during his presidency, Buhari declined offers to acquire more land in Abuja, insisting others should benefit instead.
“The Foundation was itself floated by some utilitarian individuals around him who, it must be said, went about it in a lawful manner with the support of a number of well-meaning persons.
“They ran into a roadblock in the land department of the FCDA, which handed them an outrageous bill for the issuance of the certificate of occupancy, very high in cost that did not at all compare with the bills given to similar organisations.
“When he and his cabinet members were invited to apply for land in the FCT, he returned the form unfilled, stating that he already owned a plot and that others without land should benefit instead,” Shehu explained.
Other politicians whose land titles were revoked by Nyesom Wike are former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, Secretary to his Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, and his wife, Regina.
Others are former Governors Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, Ben Ayade of Cross River, Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa, Shaaba Lafiagi of Kwara, Ahmad Sani of Zamfara and Kabiru Gaya of Kano.
Former and serving federal lawmakers affected are Enyinnaya Abaribe, Abdul Ningi, Sunday Karimi, Abdulfatai Buhari, Dino Melaye, Barnabas Gemade, Shehu Sani, Adeyemi Adaramodu, Abba Moro, Danjuma La’ah and Abdulmumin Jibrin.
Agom Jarigbe, Obinna Chidoka, Nicholas Mutu, Dan Reneiju, Ezenwa Oyewuchi, Chinyere Igwe, David Umaru, Oluwole Oke and Oker Jev are other former and serving lawmakers whose plots were withdrawn.
Two former Presidents of the Nigerian senate, Iyorchia Ayu and Ameh Ebute, are among those the FCTA asked to pay their outstanding bills or lose their plots.
Former and serving lawmakers also on the list are the Chief Whip of the Senate, Tahir Monguno, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chibudom Nwuche, former Senate Leader, Teslim Folarin, Nnenna Ukeje, Obinna Chidoka, Dapo Lam-Adesina, Leo Ogor, Francis Alimkhena, Smart Adeyemi and Lynda Ikpeazu.
Others are Andy Uba, Biodun Olujimi, Agom Jarigbe, Kingsley Chinda, and Ben Obi.
Former Ebonyi State Governor, Sam Egwu, former Minister of Aviation, Stella Ofuah and the incumbent Deputy Governor of Edo State Dennis Idahosa, were also threatened with revocation.
