Governor Siminalayi Fubara of River State has cancelled the revocation of property belonging to the state’s former military governor, Brig. Gen. Anthony Stephen Ukpo, which was sealed by former Governor Nyesom Wike, shortly before he completed his second term in office.

The revocation of the said property, “Ogeyi Place” which houses (Le Meridian) Hotels Limited, in high brow GRA Phase II, Port Harcourt was linked to owed ground rents.

Ukpo, who passed on in 2021 was a one-time minister of information and culture, and the military Governor of Rivers State, from August 1986 until July 1988 during the military administration of General Ibrahim Babangida.

However, the opponents of the new minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) claimed that the revocation was done in bad taste because some top politicians in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) loyal to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar held a meeting in the hotel.

They also claimed that Wike, who had solicited their support for his presidential bid was offended by their action and subsequently revoked the property in order to deter other hotels from allowing such meetings.

Fubara, who recently said that he won’t revoke the CoO of property owners, said that the revocation of Ukpo’s property was done in error in a document he personally signed.

Part of the revocation order’s cancellation reads: “Whereas in an official gazette no 17 Volume 58, and dated 29^th December 2022, the then Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezewon Wike revoked the aforementioned statutory right covering the above subject property from Anthony Ukpo and Ogeyi Place Limited for the private use by government.

“And whereas in the exercise of powers conferred on me by “The Land Use Act, Cap 15, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria” all other powers conferred on me on that behalf, I Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, governor of Rivers State of Nigeria hereby withdraw and cancel the revocation of the aforementioned property.” (New Telegraph: Text, Excluding Headline)

Update news