The war of words between the Federal Capital Territory Administration and Senator Ireti Kingibe escalated on Thursday as Lere Olayinka, spokesperson for FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, accused the lawmaker of displaying “ridiculous ignorance” about land allocation laws.
Senator Ireti Kingibe has, on Monday, criticized the Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA) for sealing properties in Abuja over unpaid ground rents, arguing the action violates legal due process.
FCT News Gazette reports FCTA recently shut down several high-profile properties—including banks, government agencies, and political party offices—over alleged debts totaling N6.97 billion, some dating back decades. While President Tinubu intervened with a 14-day payment ultimatum, Kingibe contends that ground rent defaults should only incur fines, not arbitrary property seizures, as mandated by the Land Use Act.
Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications, fired back at Kingibe’s criticism, suggesting the senator’s comments were motivated by personal animosity rather than policy concerns.
“It is ridiculously embarrassing that a serving senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, whose duty is to make laws is ignorant of the provisions of Section 28, Subsections (a) and (b) of the Land Use Act,” Olayinka stated in a sharply worded rebuttal.
The minister’s aide proceeded to school the senator on legal provisions: “For the education of Senator Kingibe, Section 28, Subsections (a) and (b) of the Land Use Act provides that ‘The government may revoke a Statutory Right of Occupancy on the ground of; (a) a breach of any of the provisions which a certificate of occupancy is by Section 10 deemed to contain; and (b) a breach of any term contained in the Certificate of Occupancy.'”
Olayinka challenged Kingibe’s stance with biting sarcasm: “Now, is annual payment of Ground Rent not part of the terms contained in the Certificate of Occupancy? Or Senator Kingibe just chose to advertise her myopic attitude to anything Wike?”
The spokesperson mocked what he characterized as the senator’s unrealistic expectations, saying: “Kingibe should rather have said that ‘land owners in the FCT have rights to refuse to pay necessary bills stated in the Certificate of Occupancy issued to them, and that when they so do, the government should simply pick samba and tambourine, and sing their praises.'”
“Now, if land allottees refused to pay Ground Rent for 10 to 43 years, Senator Ireti Kingibe will just look away if she was the FCT Minister?” Olayinka added, driving home his point about the necessity of enforcement.
The fiery response comes amid ongoing tensions between the FCT administration and some National Assembly members over property regulations in the capital territory. Olayinka’s statement suggests the minister’s office views Kingibe’s criticism as part of a pattern of opposition rather than substantive policy disagreement.
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