FCTA Orders Hotels, Event Centres to Recognise Only INEC-Approved Party Leaderships
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has directed owners of hotels, event centres and other public facilities in Abuja to transact only with leaderships of political parties officially recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The administration also warned that properties used to host activities of organisations deemed illegal risk losing their title documents.
The directive was contained in a statement issued on Friday by Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
According to the statement, the measure is part of broader efforts to enhance security in the nation’s capital and prevent public facilities from being used for activities capable of threatening peace and public order.
“In view of the need to further ensure the security of lives and properties in the FCT and sustain the efforts of security agencies in this regard, the use of event centres, hotels and other public buildings will now be closely monitored,” the statement said.
“This is aimed at ensuring that such facilities are not used by illegal organisations for gatherings capable of disrupting the peace of the nation’s capital.”
The FCTA stressed that land and facilities within the territory are allocated strictly for lawful purposes and warned that operators who fail to comply with the directive would face sanctions.
The administration specifically urged owners of hotels and event centres to verify the legitimacy of groups seeking to use their premises, particularly as political activities intensify ahead of future elections.
“For instance, in this political season, owners of event centres and hotels must ensure that they deal only with INEC-recognised leaderships of political parties regarding the use of their facilities, while maintaining proper records of all transactions,” the statement added.
The FCTA warned that failure to comply with the directive could attract severe penalties, including the revocation of property titles.
“Failure to comply with this directive will result in the revocation of the title documents of such properties,” the administration stated.
While the FCTA did not identify any specific organisation or political group linked to the warning, it maintained that the directive is necessary to safeguard public order and strengthen security across the Federal Capital Territory.
Source: The Cable