Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has recounted a conversation he once had with former President Olusegun Obasanjo over land allocations in Abuja.
The disclosure came during a live interview with Symfoni, where the ex-minister revisited the internal debates on how to make the capital city more inclusive for all Nigerians.
According to El-Rufai, a review of land ownership patterns in Abuja during his tenure revealed that more than 60 percent of residential plots were controlled by people from just three states.
He described this imbalance as a serious problem, arguing that it distorted the original idea of Abuja as a city meant to belong equally to all Nigerians.
In response to the discovery, El-Rufai said Chief Audu Ogbeh, who was then the National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), proposed a corrective measure.
The idea was that states with little or no representation in Abuja’s property ownership, such as Bayelsa, should receive allocations through their housing or development corporations. This, he explained, would allow indigenes of such states to have a lasting stake in the federal capital.
SPIRITUAL SOLUTION THAT WORKS
Are you in need of spiritual guidance about your life?
Do you need a complete spiritual check-up to balance your spiritual life, your Dreams and your spiritual suspicious?
Look no further!
Consult With Trusted A highly experienced spiritual guide.
DR ADAMS ADAM
Will Guide you to achieve Success, Wealth, Healing Possessions and protection, bręakthrough. Spiritual power, healing & cleansing, Peaceful relationship.
Get our naturcl Male Enhancement to Improved your libido, sexual performance and Enhanced fertility
Our spiritual check-up program will reveal the hidden secrets about your Life and solution.
For spiritual consultation and counseling
ON MATTERS OF THE MIND, BODY AND SPIRIT.
Call or WatsApp + 2 3 4 7 0 6 2 1 5 6 8 3 4
With god All things
LOCATED AT “ABUJA, LAGOS, OSUN
El-Rufai noted that the proposal was later taken to President Obasanjo for approval. While the president supported the idea in principle, El-Rufai recalled that Obasanjo immediately added a political dimension.
“When we went to Obasanjo, he said, ‘Some of these states that didn’t vote for PDP, don’t go to them,’” El-Rufai stated during the interview.
The former minister further explained that Chief Audu Ogbeh did not accept the president’s position and pushed back against the political caveat.
Ogbeh, according to El-Rufai, insisted that Abuja should not be tied to party loyalty but rather stand as a symbol of national unity.
“Nasir, you’re going to go to each state governor, whether ANPP, PDP, or AD. We are trying to build a Nigeria for everyone, not just PDP,” Ogbeh reportedly told him.
El-Rufai emphasized that Ogbeh’s insistence reflected a broader vision for Abuja, one that transcended partisan lines.
He stressed that while Obasanjo leaned toward rewarding states loyal to the PDP, Chief Audu pushed the conversation back to the founding spirit of the capital city, which was designed to represent all Nigerians equally.
Reflecting on the matter, El-Rufai described the moment as a clash of two perspectives: one rooted in political strategy and the other in inclusivity and fairness. In his words, Obasanjo prioritized electoral considerations, while Ogbeh insisted that Abuja must remain above politics.
The former FCT Minister pointed out that this debate highlighted the constant tension between governance and politics in Nigeria’s leadership.
He added that the struggle over land allocations in Abuja was more than just an administrative issue — it was symbolic of the country’s broader challenge of balancing fairness with political expediency.
El-Rufai also remarked that his experience in that episode showed him the importance of strong voices in governance who are willing to defend principles over politics.
He credited Chief Audu Ogbeh for standing firm at a time when the pressure to politicize land distribution could have easily prevailed.
The former minister reiterated that Abuja was meant to be a neutral ground, a place where all Nigerians, regardless of their state of origin or political affiliation, should feel a sense of belonging.
He maintained that decisions such as land allocation must always reflect that national character if the capital city is to truly serve its purpose as the unifying center of the federation.