February 23, 2015 – The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described alleged acquisition of 90.04 hectares of land in Aviation Village, Abuja by President Goodluck Jonathan for farming as the height of corruption and abuse of office.
APC had alleged that the President acquired the land barely seven months after he was sworn into office.
In a statement made available to journalists, Publicity Secretary of the party , Alhaji Lai Mohammed said it is indiscretion for a sitting President to acquire such a huge swath of land, as contained in a newspaper advert, which he said is yet to be refuted by the President.
APC noted that the claim of the President’s apologists that he grabbed the land because he wanted to engage in farming since President Olusegun Obasanjo did same because it is said to be allowed under the Fifth Schedule Part 1 (Code of Conduct for Public Officers) of the 1999 Constitution is highly disingenuous.
APC said the issues involved go beyond the fact that a public officer is legally allowed to engage in farming, adding that the provision quoted by the President’s apologists is a weak and untenable defence.
According to the party, the Fifth Schedule Part 1( Code of Conduct for Public Officers) of the 1999 Constitution, Section 1 states that ‘a public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal interest conflicts with his duties and responsibilities, affirming that was exactly what the President did by leveraging his high office to grab a prime land in Abuja.
“Would Goodluck Jonathan have been given 90.04 Hectares land in such a prime land were he not a sitting President? What happened in that Abuja land grab is nothing but the height of indiscretion and abuse of office, and cannot be justified or explained away just like that. Without mincing words, it also amounts to corruption, which is defined in part as a perversion of integrity, and a glaring instance of bad leadership” the party said.
It said the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Bala Mohammed, was emboldened to also grab 40.40Ha of prime land in Abuja, under the facade of using it for farming, because his boss, the President, has done so.
APC slammed the President’s supporters for seeking to justify President Jonathan’s action because Chief Obasanjo, according to them, also acquired land for farming during his own presidency.
”Those pushing this kind of argument are worsening the President’s case and insulting Nigerians. When did one bad act become a justification for another? Does a thief escape punishment by saying he stole because someone else has stolen? If indeed Chief Obasanjo did it, does that make it right? Is this not part of the reasons this President has been unable to fight corruption?
”It is also important to point out that the Aviation village, under the Abuja Master plan, is meant only for Aviation-related activities and not farming. The President knew this, yet he went ahead to apply and was allocated land for farming in the Aviation Village. Perhaps his intention is to subsequently apply for a change of use. How many other people were allocated land for farming in the Aviation Village?” the party queried.
APC urged President Jonathan to apologize to Nigerians for engaging in such a brazen abuse of office, act of corruption and violation of the Constitution and immediately give up the land he so acquired.
