Yar’Adua’s minister acquires N110m Abuja house

An influential minister in the government of President Umaru Yar’Adua has acquired a refurbished three-bedroom duplex at the Apo Legislators quarters in Abuja for N110 million.

The Minister, who has since moved into the Duplex has also reconstructed the building, fixing a gatehouse and a giant black iron gate that conflicts with the usual structure of Apo houses.


During the administration of the immediate past minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, reconstruction of houses in Apo Quarters was almost a forbidden one, particularly the inclusion of gate houses.


Except for the official residences of the President of the Senate, his deputy and the Speaker of the House of Representatives and his deputy, other houses in the sprawling Legislators’ Quarters were without gate houses.


But following the sale of the houses to legislators and occupants under the monetisation scheme of the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, many of the houses started changing hands, with many others being reconstructed.


The influential Minister, who acquired the house on David Bamigboye Street, at the area originally named Zone A, was said to have paid N110 million for the house with N20 million going to the agents, while the owner, a returning member of the House of Representatives from the South West received the sum of N90 million for it.


It was gathered that though Apo houses, particularly the House of Representatives side go for between N25 and N30 million, the honourable member had recently refurbished the house.


The member was said to have refurbished the house after he won election last year with about N40 million. Though he intended to live in the house, it was gathered that scouts and estate agents close to the minister spotted the house recently and mounted pressure on the legislator who represents the constituency of a former Nigerian leader to sell.


It was gathered that while the Honourable member felt that he could scare away the prospective buyers by placing a high price on the house, the minister’s men insisted that the price was right at N110 million.


When Sunday Tribune visited the house on Friday and Saturday, a number of mobile policemen were seen coming in and out of the house.


Three police pilot cars, a Peugeot 406 and two Toyota Hillux vans were also seen packed in front of the house.


A number of security cars were also seen inside the compound. A source said that the minister was inside the house at about 8.30 am on Saturday when Sunday tribune visited.


The said Minister has come in conflict with a number of persons and government agencies in recent times and was rumoured as one of those that would be relieved of their position in a cabinet reshuffle earlier in the year.

Posted: at 8-06-2008 01:41 PM (16 years ago) | Upcoming

Khadijah ure speaking the truth. 110m is actually less than $1 mill - and houses in US cost that much so.... do the maths

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Posted: at 9-06-2008 10:21 PM (16 years ago) | Gistmaniac

ccorution in progresss

Posted: at 3-08-2008 12:34 PM (15 years ago) | Upcoming

there is a slogan that says "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely" so i have nothing to say but just to emphasis on the fact that our leaders are corrupt.
                                             from:DOUBRA

Posted: at 3-08-2008 04:53 PM (15 years ago) | Upcoming

cut these guys some slack..

Posted: at 4-08-2008 10:26 AM (15 years ago) | Gistmaniac