More facts have emerged on the revocation of the contract of Abia Hotels in Abia State
Abia State Government said the contract was revoked because the current management board could not meet its contractual agreement to upgrade the Hotels into a 3-Star hotel after several years
The management team led by Managing Director of the hotel, Dr. Patrick Ezenwaka, had an operational joint venture of (40% private equity, 60% State) with a 25-year lease which it obtained during the administration of former governor T A Orji
But a visit to the hotel recently revealed a hotel in a total dilapidated state
This much was said by a stakeholder in the Abia Hotel business Hon Emeka Bahadur in an interview
Mr Bahadur stated the true position of the deal in a statement he personally signed and made available in the course of this investigation
This was his statement
My name is Hon. Emeka Bahadur, and as a man of integrity, it is against everything I stand for, to allow the Executive Governor of our dear state to be dragged into the shenanigans contained in the recent allegations by former Minority Leader, Hon. Chijioke Chukwu.
His claim that the revocation of the Abia Hotel’s lease was politically motivated is not only misleading, but a disservice to the good people of Abia State.
In an unjust society, silence is a crime. As a stakeholder in the state, I cannot in good conscience allow misinformation to circulate unchecked. It is important that Abians hear the facts from someone who was directly involved in the matter.
I honestly wonder why a former lawmaker would fail to carry out due diligence or seek clarification before making a public statement. We must not drag politics into everything. Abia is in good hands, and no one should attempt to destabilize the peaceful and focused leadership we are currently enjoying in the state through our dear governor.
Government is turn-by-turn, and as an advocate of the rule of law, accountability, and transparency, I fully acknowledge the role of the opposition in strengthening democracy.
However, when false narratives emerge, I will always dissociate myself from them.
Let me make it categorically clear: Abia is in good hands, and we will not allow any plot aimed at distracting the Governor from the good work he is doing across the state.
Now, I will state what I personally know about the revocation of Abia Hotel.
I recently completed an event tent (marquee) within the premises of Abia Hotel.
The former occupant of the property sub-leased a portion of the land to me for that purpose. Under our agreement, I bore 100% of the construction cost, while proceeds from bookings were to be shared thereafter. Unfortunately, after investing nearly ₦69 million, I began to hear talks of revocation.
Unknown to me at the time, the former occupant had been in dispute over the property since last year.
Despite this ongoing issue, the government gave him the opportunity to submit a valuation of all assets in Abia hotel. Shockingly, he included my tent, and possibly a second tent owned by someone else without consulting any of us or even disclosing the valuation amount.
According to reliable information available to me, after extensive back-and-forth, the government agreed to pay the former occupant ₦300 million.
The Governor out of his goodwill added an extra ₦150 million to ensure all parties were satisfied, despite clear contractual breaches by the former occupant under the previous administration.
However, upon learning that he had been fully paid off, I approached him for my compensation. His response was shocking:
“Not one cent was allocated to your tent.” He said.
He never involved me in any of the several meetings/negotiations he had with the government for over a year. But when he asked to provide the value of all assets in Abia Hotel, he included my tent.
He who comes to equity must come with clean hands.
Furthermore, it is important for Abians to know that the government has already finalized an agreement with Marriott to develop a world-class 5-star hotel on the Abia Hotels site. This is an investment that will transform Umuahia and benefit our state for generations to come.
Regardless of how anyone chooses to twist the narrative, the truth remains: Under the Land Use Act, it is the prerogative of the government to manage its land in the best interest of the people.
The public deserves facts not political sensationalism from Hon. Chukwu.”
An Abia State Government official who spoke on condition of anonymity on the matter said with the latest revelations, it has become crystal clear that the Abia State Government duly fulfilled its part of the contract and has adequately compensated the current management team of Abia Hotel and that should bring an end to the matter
Some Of The Infrastructure
