Bauchi state government has given reason why it demolished the house of the member of the house of representatives representing Bauchi local government Honourable Yakubu Shehu Abdullahi located at the Government Reserved Area (GRA).
Special Adviser media to Governor Bala Mohammed of the state Mukhtar Gidado gave the reason while addressing journalists on the matter.
Recall that the lawmaker condemned the government for destroying his house alleging that it was politically motivated because of his being a member of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
But Gidado claimed that the government’s decision to demolish the house was in view of an existing policy that allows, subject to the approval of the governor for some of its residential houses to be sold to their occupants on owner-occupier basis.
However, he claimed that the then commissioner for works and housing under the immediate past administration Abubakar Tatari Ali allocated the house to himself using the fictitious name of one Mohammed Kabir of Danjuma Goje Street, Bauchi.
He added that the house was allegedly sold to the house of representatives member at the cost N9,000,000 million later despite in violation of the government policy.
“There was no record either in the treasury or ministry of housing to show that the amount was paid into government coffers. Not only that, the whole process of the purported sale of the house did not follow due process because the value of the house was not assessed by relevant government agencies and approval of the state chief executive was not obtained.
“Following the purported sale of the house to Honourable Yakubu Shehu Abdullahi, the state bouse of assembly wrote to inform the government on 28/10/2019 about the development since the house had earlier been allocated to them to serve as guest house.
“Consequently, the government formally requested Honourable Yakubu Shehu Abdullahi to provide documentary evidence of the sale of the house to him which up to this moment, he has not obliged the state government with the documents”. He stated.
He further stated that revocation letter and stop order were issued to the lawmaker but he refused to honour and went ahead to construct new structures therein hence its demolition by the government.