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Took us to Court to Stop Renovation
- Safiu Kehinde
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has accused an undisclosed politician of killing the International Conference Centre and taking the FCT Administration (FCTA) to court to stop its renovation.
Wike made the disclosure at the inauguration of the renovated centre now renamed Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre on Tuesday.
NPO Reported that the FCT Minister had in his remark attributed the renovation of the centre to Tinubu’s intervention following the Economic Community of West African States’ (ECOWAS) parliament inauguration held there last year.
The President had reportedly decried the poor state of the centre which he claimed poorly depicted Nigeria as giant of Africa.
His intervention, according to Wike, led to the renaming of the centre after him.
Wike stated that the centre was previously handed over to an undisclosed politician who mismanaged it and sued the FCTA to court following its intervention for the renovation.
“This was being handled to a politician. They gave it to a politician and he killed the place. And when we tried to do work, the politician had to go to court to stop us from carrying out what we are seeing today.” Wike said.
While speaking on how the newly renovated centre will be maintained, the FCT Minister declared that every individual, ministry, or agency interested in using the facility must pay certain amount to fund its maintenance.
“What I want to appeal Mr. President because I know pressure will come, how do we sustain this? I want everybody to know, whether you are a ministry or an agency, you want to use this, you have to pay something. That is the only way it can be sustained.
“Nothing like my brother, my sister is going to have wedding. If you want to use a place like this, such a beautiful place, then you must drop something.” He continued.
The Minister harped on a country’s need for good leadership to ensure development.
“Our problem is leadership. When we have the right leadership, things will get done.” He added.