John Shiklam in Kaduna
The North-west Zonal Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Inuwa Abdulkadir, has accused Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State for demolishing his house for political reasons.
Abdulkadir’s house located at Yakubu Avenue, Kaduna, was pulled down by officials of the Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Agency (KASUPDA) last Thursday while he was in Abuja for party meeting.
However, an official of KASUPDA claimed that the house was demolished because it was illegally constructed.
Speaking in a telephone interview with THISDAY last yesterday, the APC chieftain alleged that the governor had long threatened to demolish his house because of differences in political views and opinions.
It was learnt that although both men are in the same party, their relationship has not been cordial due to the crisis in the Kaduna State chapter of the APC which led to the emergence of a faction known as “APC Akida.”
Abdulkadir expressed shock that the government went ahead to demolish his house despite the fact that the matter was before the court.
According to him, after KASUPDA brought notice stopping him over the building, he went to court to challenge them, noting that they ought to have waited pending the decision of the court.
“The demolition of my house is a personal threat by the governor. We are in court on the issue. The matter is still in court. They should have waited for the court to decide.
“It is personal because of our differences in political views and opinions. He wants to intimidate me because of political issues, but I will not be intimidated, I am not a bootlicker.
“We are in the same party, I am the leader of the party, my role is to ensure fairness and equal treatment of all party members.
If he thinks he can fight me by attacking my property, so be it! That will not make me change my position.”
However, while reacting to the issue, an official of KASUPDA who pleaded anonymity, maintained that Abdulkadir was wiping up political sentiments to cover up for his illegality.
According to the official, several notices were issued to him to stop the construction work, but he ignored all of them.
“You don’t build house without following rules and regulations guiding urban planning. Did you asked him to show you his C of O or approved building plan?
“At Rimi College, we demolished houses illegally built by people, but after they produced their C of O and approved building plans, we realised that it was no fault of them and the state government had to pay them compensation by valuing the property.
“He should leave the governor out of this because the issue is purely about town planning and regulations and once you violates the rule, we will not allow you no matter who you are,” the KASUPDA official said.
