Wike cancels land certificate in another swing at Atiku base in Rivers
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike has revoked the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) of a plot of land allocated to state Atiku Abubakar Campaign Chairman Lee Maeba in the upscale Golf Course axis of GRA Port Harcourt.
Wike himself had signed the C of O of the plot in the Government Reserved Area (GRA) in Port Harcourt, home to the wealthy and the well connected in society.
Maeba, a former Senator now staunch supporter of Atiku, is in the bad books of Wike for enabling the arrogance of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate backing PDP National Chairman Iyorchia Ayu to remain in post.
Wike is the leader of the G5 Governors fighting for justice in the PDP. Other members are Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), and Seyi Makinde (Oyo).
The G5 demand Ayu fulfil his promise to resign for a Southerner to balance the power structure in the PDP dominated by Northerners. They say they will remain in the PDP but will not campaign for Atiku until Ayu quits.
Other Atiku loyalists in Rivers in the crosshairs of Wike include former House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Austin Opara; derecognised former Rivers Governor Celestine Omehia, and House of Representatives member Chinyere Igwe.
They fell out of favour with Wike when they visited Atiku soon after he got the PDP presidential ticket in May.
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Land revocation order
The revocation order in a letter addressed to Maeba on 2 November was signed by Ochiagha Onyebuchi, acting Director, Head of Department, Acquisition, Valuation and Compensation, Ministry of Lands and Survey, on behalf of the Permanent Secretary.
The letter titled, “Re: Allocation of Plot 20A Golf Course Layout, Old GRA Port Harcourt”, reads:
“I am directed to inform you that your allocation at Plot 20A Golf Course Layout, old GRA, Port Harcourt, has been cancelled as shown on the attached Rivers State Official Gazette No. 22 Vol. 58, dated September 20, 2022.
“Please accept the warm regards of the Permanent Secretary.”
Maeba expressed surprise to The PUNCH, lamenting: “How can a Governor grant a certificate of occupancy and withdraw it six months later?”
He said the land was allocated to him with a C of O personally signed by Wike.
Maeba, who once represented Rivers South East District in the Senate, produced a C of O numbered 2022/0009/A803005 with file reference RSL/64872.
The C of O is titled The Government of Rivers State of Nigeria – The Land Use Act Caps vol. 8 len, 2004 and has Maeba’s colour portrait photograph embossed on it.