Adamawa Govt House In Abuja Sealed-off

The federal government through the FCT minister, Bala Mohammed has sealed-off the Adamawa State Government Lodge in the Maitama District of the Federal Capital City in what appears as a sign of crack down on the Kawu Baraje led faction of the PDP which consists of seven serving state governors and ex-vice president Atiku Abubakar among others. The FCT administration has however said that the action was taken because the lodge is being used in contravention of the Abuja Master Plan.

A faction of the ruling PDP recently moved its own office to the Adamawa governor’s lodge after the police sealed off the faction’s secretariat also in Maitama area of Abuja. The Adamawa state government had offered to give the lodge to the faction as a temporary secretariat. But the FCT minister under the instruction of President Jonathan and his top aides in the presidency today deployed armed policemen to take over the state government’s lodge to prevent its being used as secretariat of the new PDP faction.

A statement by the minister however tried to justify the obvious political intimidation and use of federal might to oppress the other federating units. According to the minister “All the Governor’s Lodges in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja are enshrined in the Abuja Master Plan to be for residential purposes but not for Political Party Secretariat as Adamawa State Governor’s Lodge is currently being used.

“The Governor’s Lodge as it is today, is being used as a Political Party Office thereby negating the spirit of urban planning and causing nuisance and disturbance on the residents dwelling in that area of the city as well as inflicting undue pressure on the infrastructure and services therein, contrary to the principles of the Abuja Master Plan. The FCT Administration will not rest on its oars until the entire 250 square kilometers of the Federal Capital City is rid of all illegal structures and/or illegal change of Land Use.

“It may be noted that any change of Land Use is usually accompanied with over stretching of facilities planned for certain number of people; apart from also causing high volume of traffic with its attendant problems. The Administration wishes to assure that all actions by a person or group of persons that inflict pains on the residents whether directly or indirectly would not be condoned as government is meant to serve and protect the rights of all.

“The FCTA will continue to protect the Abuja environment and the sanctity of the Abuja Master Plan in line with the dreams of its founding fathers; believing that such plans were meant to be obeyed and adhered to.”