FCTA still considering demolition of Lawan, Gbajabiamila’s official residences: Official

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) says it is still considering the demolition of the official residences of Senate President Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila.

“The issue (of whether to demolish Messrs Lawan and Gbajabiamila’s official residences) is not a conclusive position, and we have not reached the climax of the forum,” stated the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA)’s executive secretary Ahmed Hadi.

Mr Hadi disclosed this when he appeared before the House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the real estate sector in the FCT on Tuesday in Abuja. 

The FCDA secretary also stressed that the development within the three arms zone was intended to house the legislature, executive and judiciary. 

On the executive’s side, the Presidential Complex was developed, which was supposed to be a residential and office complex, side by side with the vice president’s residence, he said.

According to him, for the judiciary, there is the Supreme Court and the official residence of the chief justice of the federation. 

“Somewhere along the line, the legislative arm, which occupies the largest complex, has no provision for the residences of the presiding or principal officers,” he told the committee. “And, this was what made (the) case, between the period of 2014, there were many correspondences between the FCDA and the Department of Development Control.” 

Mr Hadi added, “And, after due consultations with the leadership of the national assembly that this was what is needed to have residential provision within the three arms zone so that it will become complimentary.” 

The FCDA boss also placated the committee, stating that the agency had no intention to embarrass the national assembly leaders.

”We want to use this forum to reach out to the leadership of the National Assembly that there was no intention to raise the issue or embarrass the offices of the president of the Senate, nor the speaker or the deputy Senate president,” he pointed out.

According to him, the duo’s official residences did not contravene the extant Abuja Master Plan and that due diligence had been done in the construction of the structures.

“We really take exception to that news making the rounds that FCTA will demolish the official residences of the president of the Senate and speaker of the House of Representatives,” he further explained. “That is not the position of the FCTA and certainly not the position of this investigative workshop.”

Mr Hadi noted further that “I’m not mincing word to say that everything that we agree here we will crosscheck with our records have (sic) been done.”

(NAN)