The Senate has ordered the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to suspend the ongoing demolition of buildings except those authorised by the court, and equally constituted an eight-member panel, chaired by the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, to investigate the demolitions since Wike’s administration began.
Penpushing reports that the upper chamber gave the resolution following a motion sponsored by Senator Ireti Kingibe of the Labour Party (LP), Federal Capital Territory (FCT)) during the plenary on Thursday.
The female lawmaker while presenting the motion, said the demolition of buildings since the beginning of Wike’s administration is not in line with court rulings, adding that the exercise has increased hardship among residents of the territory.
Penpushing further reports that Kingibe pointed out that many people have been rendered homeless, and specifically cited the revocation of an estate around Life Camp owned by the late retired colonel, Paul Ogbebor.
The Senator, therefore urged her colleagues to compel the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to suspend the estate’s revocation, and equally requested the suspension of all ongoing demolition of buildings in the territory.
Penpushing also reports that in similar vein, Senator Apoti-Uduaghan urged the upper chamber to direct Wike to stop demolishing Federal Capital Territory (FCT) structures and constitute an ad hoc committee to investigate the demolitions.
The Kogi State West senator Karmi Sunday in his own submission stated that the Senate needs to hear from the Minister before deciding on the issue, while Deputy Senate Leader Oyelola Ashiru said his colleagues do not have the right to stop Wike from bringing down buildings Abuja, noting that the minister is cleaning the city.
Penpushing reports that the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, in his remarks said the court had authorised the demolition of some of the buildings because they were illegal structures.
‘The court has authorised some of the demolitions. If somebody built on the drainage and the court ordered that such buildings should be demolished, you cannot come up with a resolution to stop the order’, he said.
Penpushing further reports that Akpabio therefore urged his colleagues not to be emotional about the demolition of buildings in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) but to look at the reasons for the demolitions.
The Senate President after the extensive debate on the issue, put the motion to the vote, and the majority of the senators supported it, and in his ruling he (Akpabio) asked the minister to suspend the ongoing demolition of buildings in Abuja except those authorised by the court.
Penpushing also reports that Akpabio constituted an ad hoc committee to liaise with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) administration, which include Senator Barau Jibrin as the chairman, while others are Senator Sahabi Ya’u, Victor Umeh, Jimoh Ibrahim, Oyelola Ashiru, Agom Jarigbe, Mohammed Munguno and Idiat Adebule.
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