The contentious land tussle between Nigeria’s former First Lady, Hajia Turai Yar’Adua and incumbent First Lady – Patience Goodluck Jonathan, came to a climax Thursday as Justice Peter Affren of the Abuja High Court in Jabi district set aside the purported revocation by the FCT administration of a land measuring about 1.84 hectares allocated to Turai’s non governmental organization, Women and Youth Empowerment Foundation, WAYEF.
In its ruling, the court held that the claims by the FCT Minister – Bala Mohammed that the land was revoked on an overriding public interest, was not supported by any shred of evidence before the court.
The court further held that the initial letter of offer issued Turai’s organization by the Minister remains valid and subsisting.
“The defendants failed woefully to adduce any shred of evidence before this court to support their claims that the allocation of the land was revoked on overriding public interest. There is no overriding public interest in this issue. The allocation made to the plaintiff who is a vocational training centre was in public interest and in line with section 28 (1) of Land Use Act”.
Information Nigeria recalled that various attempts aimed at an amicable resolution of the disputed land, plot no. 1347 Cadastral Zone AOO, Central Business District, Abuja, FCT, failed as both ladies refused to settle out-of-court.