The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday, declared that critics accused him of land grabbing because he’s a politician.
Wike explained that he took over lands within the capital city for the sake of development.
He spoke during the commissioning of Judges Quarters, Court of Appeal, and flag-off construction of Quarters for Industrial Court, Code of Conduct Tribunal Judges in Abuja to mark President Bola Tinubu’s third year anniversary.
The minister explained how some of the plots used for the construction were allocated 15 years ago and left undeveloped but were revoked by the FCT Administration under his leadership and developed for the Judges Quarters.
According to Wike: “This land was allocated to Julius Berger 15 years ago and I revoked it. If you don’t want to be accused don’t be a politician, in fact, the day you become a politician is the day the will write your history, even those who don’t know you. I thank God that today they can see that I truly grabbed lands. I came to see where we can develop land for judicial officers.
“I want to tell everybody that once you know what you are doing, don’t bother listening to what people are saying. I have this cue, if you like abuse me from morning till night, but I just come back and ask my wife if there is any good whisky which I take and go and sleep.
“While you are worrying yourself, I’m sleeping very well. So when you see why I’m not worried, if I’m not important will they call my name? So don’t bother yourself, do your work.
“Just where we want to build the industrial court, people have started developing, and I asked ‘who are the people developing here? They said they are private developers.’
“So because you have seen roads, here is where judges will leave and I have declared here as judges Quarters, I’m going to take over the whole land which I did.”
He explained that landed properties around the Judges Quarters were retrieved from previous developers to safeguard the judges.
“They started complaining but I promised to pay compensation. I don’t know who is going to stay on the third floor and looking at where the judges are staying, some could be kidnappers, you never can tell and they are waiting for you to come out from the gate for something to happen.
“So I have taken over the whole of that land and even the one here, I have directed that they ask the owner, we are buying it off and handing it over to the judiciary, so that we will also protect them, it’s very important,” he added.