Uba Sani, Special Adviser to Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai on Political and Intergovernmental Affairs, insisted on Wednesday that his principal did no wrong by demolishing the head office of the factional All Progressives Congress donated by Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi on Tuesday.
Sani insisted that the demolition which has elicited huge public outcry was legal, and that Hunkuyi’s was free to go to court over the property located at Plot 11B, Sambo Close, Angwan Rimi area of Kaduna metropolis,
“We can tell you that we have a law and if he feels aggrieved, he can go to court. I can assure you that when he goes to court, we will prove the fact that we took this action in accordance with the Land Use Act,” Sani said while briefing journalists in Abuja, on Wednesday.
“It is not persecution. If you regard it as persecution, it means the over 100 people whose houses were demolished in the last one year are being persecuted. The same law that was violated by those poor people, who have no voice was applied to Hunkuyi but because Hunkuyi has a voice, he has money, he can go the media, that is why people are talking about his issue,” he further explained.
The office of the state APC faction led by Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi was on Tuesday demolished, adding another twist to crisis at the State chapter of the party.
The property was said to have been demolished by the Kaduna State Property Development Agency, but Hunkuyi, the senator representing Kaduna Northern Senatorial District who donated the property to the APC faction for use as its headquarters, claimed that Governor el-Rufai personally drove a bulldozer to demolish the building as a way of expressing his dislike for his opponents.
Reacting to questions on the matter, Sani told journalists that the Senator and the APC faction were not particularly targeted because the rule, according to him applies across board, irrespective of who is involved. He said that the building was demolished because the owners of the property did not pay ground rent and that the rule provides that every property owner, including those serving in El-Rufai government must pay their Ground Rent, as well as, revalidate their land titles or lose same.
“When it was announced that those in default of Ground Rent should go and pay up. I went and met the manager of land. We sat down and calculated what I was owing and I paid. I paid because I knew the consequences of not paying. I didn’t say I was a Special Adviser to the Governor. So nobody should tell us that because he is a senator he is therefore immunity from obeying the law.
“I know El-Rufai very well. When he was Minister of FCT, he revoked my land. I was SA on Political Matters to the then President Obasanjo and El-Rufai was my friend. But revoked my land. For me it was a lesson and I know what would happen to those who failed to pay their Ground Rent or recertify their land titles. I have done mine.
“In Kaduna, we demolished over 40 houses. In Zaria, which is Sen. Hunkuyi’s constituency, we demolished dozens of houses. He did not protest or run to the press to defend those people because they are poor people and have no voice. He committed the same offence as those others whose houses were demolished and he cannot claim any immunity because he is a senator.
“Why didn’t he condemn the demolition of the other houses? Why didn’t he raise it in the floor of the senate?”
When journalists raised concerns that the timing of the demolition was wrong and obviously indicated that the governor perceived opponents were being targeted, Sani stated, “The timing of the demolition is perfect. When it was announced that the teachers who could not pass Primary 4 exams would be sacked, Hunkuyi went to TV to say, ‘Election is coming. How can you sack teachers. Who will vote for you?’
“We will continue to do the right thing. What is important is to continue to do the right thing. What is important is the people of Kaduna State. If they see that we are doing the right thing, they will re-elect us. If they will not, there is no problem, but we must do the right thing.
“Elections or not, politics or not, we cannot say if someone’s house violates Land Use or the person fails to pay the required Ground Rent the house should not be demolished.”
Sani said Hunkuyi was actively involved in our government and one of the major beneficiaries of this government with three of his brothers serving in the administration: a commission, a Local Governemnt Chairman and an Honourary Advisor.
Asked whether the governor’s actions in recent times, particularly the demolition will not weigh on his popularity and in extension, his re- election bid, the aides maintained that the majority Kaduna people were still in strong support of their principal despite the perceived ills.
“To the contrary, I am sitting here as Political Adviser to the governor. I can assure you, even in Hunkuyi Local Government, if we go to election tomorrow, el-Rufai is likely to get over 80 per cent of the votes,” Sani stated.
“Those opposing have done anything to support their constituents in the last three years. On the othern, El-Rufai has always organized Town Hall Meetings in Kaduna. He is the only governor who conducts monthly Media chat and Town Hall meetings regularly. And these meetings move from LG to LG where we meet the downtrodden. These senators don’t even attend. They don’t visit their constituencies.”
Onyinye Nwachukwu, Abuja
