The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has clear the air over controversy surrounding the ownership of River Park Estate in Abuja.
The minister, who spoke on Channel’s TV Political Platform on Thursday, dismissed claims that Paulo Homes Ltd is the original owners of the estate.
He said the FCT signed an agreement with JonahCapital Nigeria Ltd to develop the estate on Plot 4, Cadastral Zone E30, Lugbe, Abuja, during the tenure of President Olusegun Obasanjo.
He alleged that the company brought in a third party to help them obtain building approvals from FCT Development Control without authorities’ approval.
“A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, S.I. Ameh wrote a petition, and I set up a ministerial panel headed by the General Council; General Council is like the Attorney General of other states, saying ‘go and look into this.’
“Their lawyers made presentations, look this is terrible.
“First of all, we don’t have any business with Paulo Homes; there is no business between the FCT and Paulo Homes, nothing.
“The only people we signed an agreement with are JonahCapital Ltd,” he said.
Wike observed that although JonahCapital breached the agreement with the FCT by bringing in Paulo Homes which had allegedly continued to obtain Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) for buyers without a valid lease agrement, its development lease had expired by the effusion of time.
He said the ministry decided to demolish the property hurriedly developed by Paulo Homes, withdrew all the C of Os signed for the company and gave them directly to the Nigerian owners to protect them.
On why he demolished the property built overnight while he was still investigating the matter, Wike said, “I know the system and how they operate.
“They will now take it to court. By the time you know, the minister is out and when he leaves another minister will come and will be able to settle.
“I told my people, let’s get everything down. This is why things are getting wrong in this country,” he said.
