Patience Versus Turai Land Tussle: ‘A Study in Despicable Sycophancy, High-level Corruption And Impunity,” Says ACN
Posted: July 26, 2012 - 18:16

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has described the legal tussle between the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan and her predecessor, Hajiya Turai Yar’Adua over a juicy plot of land in the Federal Capital territory as “a study in despicable sycophancy, insider abuse, arbitrariness and manifestation of the culture of impunity all of which have become the hallmarks of the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.”

In a statement issued in Lagos today by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said in more decent climes the scandal would have seen the immediate exit of the Federal Capital Territory Senator, Bala Mohammed, from the cabinet and severely affected the political fortunes of President Jonathan. ACN said while it was not holding brief for Hajiya Turai, it was clear from the court records that the disputed land was first duly allocated to her Women and Youth Empowerment Foundation non-governmental organization by the Minister for the Federal Capital Territory, and a statutory right of occupancy duly issued under the hand of the same minister.

“From the same court records, the organization paid all levies and dues running into several hundreds of millions of Naira. However shortly after, the minister for the Federal Capital Territory without reasons issued a notice of revocation of the said property ostensibly on grounds of overriding public interest only to swiftly re-allocate the same land to another non-governmental organization, the African First Ladies Peace Centre believed to belong to the current First Lady Dame Jonathan.”

According to the party, any close observer of the FCT Administration under the watch of Senator Bala Mohammed will know that this is vintage Bala Mohammed, a man who will do anything to remain in the good books of President Jonathan. It recalled that only recently, the party condemned in very strong terms the decision of the same minister to name an extension of the Maitama District after President Jonathan, even when no such honour was bestowed on former heads of states especially those whose contributions to the development of Abuja as the Federal Capital are glaring and undeniable.

“But even if Senator Bala Ahmed’s scandalous conduct can be excused on the grounds that his behavior is consistent with the character of a man who will do anything to hang on to his job can anyone excuse the conduct of Dame Patience Jonathan who according to both court records and newspaper reports, her African Ladies Peace Centre in defiance of a subsisting court order restraining them from carrying out further activities at the site mobilized contraction to the site to commence construction work?” ACN queried. “Should Nigeria’s First lady be seen to be promoting a culture of impunity and disrespect for court orders? Obviously this Caesar’s wife does not believe she should be above board.’

The ACN said that the entire saga has in addition revealed the under belly of the gargantuan edifice of corruption of the PDP led Federal Government. “Where, for instance, does the office of the First Lady source funds to buy land for over a quarter of a billion naira and award a contract for its construction for a further sum of N13, 000,000,000.00 (Thirteen billion naira only)?” the party queried.

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