19th December, 2024
Malam Shehu Garba, the spokesperson for former President Muhammadu Buhari has explained why a foundation linked to the former Nigerian leader could not pay for the land allocated to it by the Federal Capital Territory, FCT administration.
Shehu said this while reacting to reports that the allocation of piece of land belonging to Buhari was revoked by the FCT authorities over failure to pay ground rent.
However, the former presidential spokesperson said the land was not a personal property of Buhari
“President Buhari is personally not the owner of the said plot of land which is allocated in the name of “Muhammadu Buhari Foundation,” he stated.
Shehu said the foundation was itself floated lawfully by some ‘utilitarian individuals’ around Buhari.
The foundation, he added, was supported by some well-meaning persons.
Shehu said those behind the foundation were given bill that did not compare with the bills given to similar organisations to pay as land charges.
According to him, the promoters of the foundation,, ran into a ” roadblock” when the Federal Capital Development Authority gave them an ” outrageous” bill for the issuance of Certificate of Occupancy.
“It may have been that this was not erroneous, but a deliberate mistake, making the revocation of land as no surprise to anyone,” he said.
Shehu also revealed that former President Buhari once rejected an offer of land in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) during his tenure.
“As a person, the former president has a plot of land to his name in Abuja,” he said.
Shehu said Buhari rejected the offer of land when he and his cabinet members were invited to fill forms for allocation.
He said the former president had insisted that he already had land in the FCT, adding it should be given to those who did not have.
He urged those engaging in speculation on social media to ” get their facts right and stop dragging down the name of the former president.”
(NAN)