El-Rufai revoked three OBJ plots in Abuja - Allocated 27,000 plots in three years - How OBJ, Okonjo-Iweala, el-Rufai got 1m sq metres in Abuja

Taiwo Adisa, Abuja - 13.04.2008

Fresh facts emerged at the weekend on how former President Olusegun Obasanjo got land allocations of about I million square meters in Abuja, the nation’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

It has also been revealed that the former Minister of FCT, Mallam Nasiru el-Rufai revoked three plots of land allocated to Obasanjo Farms and members of Obasanjo family.

Documents confirming the above claims are already in possession of the Senate Committee on FCT, which is probing sales of Federal Government Houses in the FCT and the spate of demolitions and revocations of landed properties that took place in the Federal Capital.

The Committee, which began its probe on Wednesday, is due to continue the seven-day public hearing on Monday.

In an interview with the Sunday Tribune, the Chief of Staff to the former Minister of FCT, Mallam el-Rufai, Mallam Balarabe Abbas Lawal said that though members of the family of the former Minister also got landed allocations, the Minister committed no wrong in approving the allocations.

He confirmed that el-Rufai allocated more than 27,000 plots of land in the FCT during his tenure. Lawal also said that the allocations to the former President Obasanjo and the former Minister of Finance, Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala followed due process.

The Senate Committee last week got memoranda detailing land allocations of about 1 million square meters to Obasanjo and members of his extended family.

But documents obtained on Friday indicated that Mallam el-Rufai revoked three plots of land belonging to Obasanjo Farms and two other members of the former President’s family including Oluremi Obasanjo and Olugbemi Adeboye Obasanjo.

While Obasanjo farms lost a commercial plot numbered Zone A00 (Plot 589) on May 28 2007 due to double allocation, Olugbemi Obasanjo lost a residential plot in Maitama District of Abuja marked Zone A05 (Plot 1393) at an unspecified date also to double allocation.

The third member of the family, Oluremi Obasanjo lost a residential plot at Utako District of Abuja with particulars indicated as Zone B05 (Plot 6). The plot was revoked as a result of double allocation.

Lawal said that Obasanjo, el-Rufai and members of their families got the land allocations on account of their being Nigerian citizens.

“Every Nigerian is entitled to a plot of land in Abuja according to the Land Use Act. If you apply to AGIS for a plot of land, legally, it is your right to be allocated one. Members of Obasanjo’s family and those of el-Rufai’s immediate and extended families are Nigerians.

“In any case, the former Minister has not breached any due process or any law in this circumstance. Besides, he has not exhibited greed. He could have used his office to grab as many as 500 plots if he were greedy and unconcerned about the sensibilities of Nigerians,” Lawal said.

He stated that out of the 27, 646 plots of Abuja land allocated during el-Rufai’s tenure as FCT Minister, nine plots were allocated to members of Obasanjo family, 11 were allocated to members of el-Rufai’s extended family, while the former Minister of FCT got one allocation at Asokoro area of Abuja.

According to el-Rufai’s spokesman, the plots of land allocated to the el-Rufais were spread across the Federal Capital Territory rather than being concentrated in choice areas such as Asokoro and Maitama.

He disclosed that the former Minister equally revoked plots of land allocated to him.

Lawal stated: “He (el-Rufai) was allocated a residential plot in Asokoro on April 9, 2002 which he withdrew and reallocated to another entity (Legitimate Inter Global Services Limited) and he was also allocated another residential plot in Gudu on March 20, 2003.”

Documents sourced from the Abuja Geographis Information service (AGIS) which were in possession of the Senate, listed members of the el-Rufai family who benefited from land allocations between 2004 and 2007 as including Ali Rufai (Katampe Extension) August 12, 2004; Asia Ahmad el-Rufai (Asokoro), January 26, 2005;

Hadiza Isma el-Rufai (Asokoro) January 26, 2005; Bashir Ahmad el-Rufai (Wuse 11) January 26, 2005; Ibrahim el-Rufai (Maitama) June 27, 2005; Bashir el-Rufai (Asokoro) May 10, 2007; el-Rufai and Partners (Commercial plot at Jahi) May 10, 2007; Zainab Rufai (Katampe extension) May 10, 2007; Hauwa Aliyu el-Rufai (Nyanya), May 10, 2007 and Maryam Bashir el-Rufai (Kubwa) May 19, 2007.

It was indicated in one of the documents that el-Rufai revoked a residential plot marked Asokoro, A04 Plot 3861, allocated to Ali Rufai on July 11, 2006. He equally revoked a plot at Maitama marked A06 (Plot 4040) allocated to Aliyu Ahmad Rufai on September 11, 2006 and allocated the plot to other Nigerians, while the former Minister withdrew the allocation of a land in Asokoro marked A04, Plot 2552 from himself and re-allocated it to another Nigerian. The plot was given to him on April 4 2002 by his predecessor in office.

Allocations that went to the Obasanjos are a plot of land in Maitama granted on March 3, 1988 to former President Obasanjo, while the late Stella Obasanjo was allocated a residential plot in Jabi on September 17, 1993.

Details showed that while the Obasanjos got eight land allocations between 1988 and 2003, they got 11 between 2004 and 2007. el-Rufai revoked one of those got in 2003, one in 2005 and another of the Obasanjo’s plots in 2007.

The late wife of the former President, Stella was allocated a residential plot in Maitama marked A06 (Plot 3446), she got another residential plot in Katampe, marked B19(plot 150) on April 14, 2002.

Other land allocations to the Obasanjos include Olugbenga Obasanjo (Maitama), September 12, 2000, another plot in Guzape on April 11, 2002; Oludayo Obasanjo got a residential plot at Nbora on May 10 2003; Iyabo Obasanjo (Asokoro, residential plot on January 26, 2005); Oluwasegun Obasanjo (Jabi) January 26, 2005; Obasanjo Farms Nigeria Limited (Kuje) June 27, 2005; Adeboye Obasanjo (Maitama) June 27, 2005.

Olusegun Babatunde Obasanjo (Maitama) January 13, 2006; Oluwafunke Obihele Obasanjo (Garki II) March 25, 2006.

Others include: Oludare Victor Obasanjo (Garki 11) November 9, 2006; Obasanjo Olufolake (Wuye) May 15, 2007 and Obasanjo Farms Nigeria Limited (a commercial plot at Gwarimpa) on May 24, 2007.