Nigeria: PDP Crisis - FCDA Marks Sen. Alhassans Park for Demolition BY TURAKI A. HASSAN, The crisis rocking the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has continued to escalate with authorities of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), marking the A Class Parks and Gardens belonging to Senator Aisha Jummai Alhassan from Taraba State, for demolition. Senator Alhassan who is one of the 22 Senators who declared their support for the Abubakar Kawu Barajes faction of the PDP in September, told reporters in Abuja yesterday that the FCTA allocated the land for development as a garden to her on February 8th, 2010 . She said it measured 3.0 hectares on transit way corridor Kashim Ibrahim Way, Maitama District, Abuja. On the 26th of September 2013 and in fulfillment of the PDP threat to deal with the Baraje-led division of the PDP members, a two weeks notice to demolish the A-Class Parks and Events centre was served on A-Class Events Management Services Limited and yesterday (Thursday) another notice, a 48-hour was issued, the Senator said. She lamented that although the allocation was for five years for temporary park development which will expire in 2015, the FCT has now given her final demolition notice to today. The lawmaker revealed that about 200 youths who work in the park will lose their jobs at a time the Federal Government was battling to create jobs for millions of Nigerian youths. I am a free born citizen of Nigeria whose right to freedom of choice and association are guaranteed under chapter four of the 1999 Constitution and because of grievances that I have against my party, the PDP especially its leadership at my state, I decided to belong to an aggrieved device led by Alhaji Kawu Baraje, I see no reason why or any member of the device should be witch-hunted or persecuted, she said. The Senator called on President Goodluck Jonathan to stop the FCT Minister Senator Bala Mohammed from treading what she called dangerous path which may mar the presidents effort to reconcile members of the PDP. She, however, said she would not change her stance because of the demolition threat until justice is done in the PDP. Although, in the demolition notice given by the FCTA department of development control, the park will pave way for the transit way of the Abuja light rail project, Senator Alhassan argued that, the Maitama transit way will only be developed and linked to the light rail lines when it is completed and everybody knows as a fact that the light rail line project that will go round the FCT with linkages to many transit ways within the city is not anywhere near completion. She said as a Senator, she is aware that no money was appropriated for the Maitama transit line in the 2013 budget that may warrant issuing such a quick demolition order even when the allocation is expiring in two years time.
Posted on: Sun, 27 Oct 2013 09:45:21 +0000
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