National Issues
Pains, torment of being a tenant in Abuja
IN advanced countries, housing is a form of social product, it is governmental provision for the citizenry, although not free, but the government has a technique of making it comfortable for her citizens. Here in Nigeria, the reverse is the case.
A landlord could wake up one day and decide he wants the tenant out of his house; perhaps out of spite, perhaps because he needs the property urgently, perhaps because he has a better offer. Whatever the reason, it didn’t matter.
The landlord is the alpha and omega and the tenant at his mercy. Failure of the tenant to comply would often result in a forced eviction. The tenant is forcibly removed from the premises with his or her things thrown out and sometimes, the tenant’s property is removed from the premises in his or her absence.
Some landlords and quack agents have almost perfected this act of illegality. The trend has however been abated with the realization that such actions is frowned at by the law.
Landlords and their palava
It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:25)
Mr Olanrewaju recounted his torment in the hands of his Hausa landlord. Mr Olanrewaju had earlier paid for two years house rent, after a year of occupancy, the landlord demanded that he pay more, reason, because other landlords have increase house rent. Olarenwaju declined such demand and referred the landlord to his tenancy agreement which they both duly signed, but surprisingly, the landlord refused to acknowledge his agreement. The consequences were that Mr Olarenwaju was given a seven-day quick notice to evacuate the room.
“He gave me the notice on a Monday morning, then on Thursday, he started knocking my door, saying someone has paid for my room that I should move out in three days’ time. I was busy looking for a room, but I couldn’t get one, in fact, I was not financially capable to do much running’s or guarantee a good house since the landlord said he won’t return my money until I move out. It was on
Monday morning, I was preparing to go to work when I noticed a carpenter was working on my roof, I thought it was a usual change of leaking roof but again, I remembered that my room was not leaking after all, as I dashed out to find out what was going on, the landlord said he is removing my roof so that I will know that I have overstayed my welcome in the house. I had no choice than to move my things to a nearby uncompleted building”
A resident who spoke with the reporter decried the manner at which landlords wickedly increase house rents without doing any major renovation. Paul Okiti, a business man, lamented on how his landlord, without notice, increased the rent of his self-contain apartment from 130 thousand to 155 thousand naira.
“Last year, I moved into a self-contain apartment with a tenancy fee of one hundred and thirty thousand naira. It was when I wanted to renew my rent last month that my landlord told me the rent has increased to one hundred and fifty-five thousand naira.
“I had no choice than to pay him the total amount because I cannot stand the stress of looking for another apartment”.
“Most of these landlords you see are without conscience”, he concluded.
An Abuja based civil engineer lamented on the high cost of renting an apartment in Abuja.
“Abuja is only meant for the rich. Very few residents live in a decent apartment. You find majority of resident living in satellite towns, and mostly in villages. If you are not a politician, then you can’t have a decent apartment in Abuja”
In a similar reaction, A civil servant at the ministry of education decried the cost of accommodation in Abuja. She was quick to add that landlords now see increase in house rents as serious business.
“Oga, where I go see money rent house for Asokoro or Wuse 11?
“Only the rich ones can afford apartment in those areas. Even as I dey live for Karu, I dey sweat before I pay house rent.
“Rent is on the high side in Abuja, and the landlords are not being fair. They now increase rent on daily basis without pitying their tenants”, she added.
It would be recalled that the federal government enacted laws to regulate landlords and tenant’s relationships. These laws are Recovery of Premises Act. Cap 544 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) 1990; Rent Control & Recovery of Residential Premises Law, Vol. 7, Laws of Lagos State, 2003; Lagos Tenancy Law, 2011.
Most of the landlords today, who have hitherto been a tenant, do not care about the laws or rules guiding landlord and tenants, to them, the house belongs to them and they are free to make their decision anytime.
The over-all case of landlords has made Nigeria housing situation look like a lawless one as the Landlords don’t care about what the law says in concerning their respective actions and inaction. It is an obvious fact that the landlords see Nigeria economic situations favourable for their welfare.
FCT residents groan in pains over hike in house rents.
As the cost of housing continues to rise in Abuja, so also the presence of exotic houses, both completed and uncompleted all over the city. Many of these houses have one thing in common: they’re empty Many of the home occupiers in Abuja today are mostly tenants who pay for accommodation yearly.
However, apartments in highbrow areas like Asokoro, Wuse, Garki, Maitama, and Gwarinpa are solely reserved for wealthy Nigerians.
Consequently, many of the houses in these areas remained unoccupied. Findings evinced that there are a lot of estates built by some super-rich Nigerians who do not bother even if the buildings remain unoccupied for decades. But the satellite towns like Kubwa, Nyanya, Karu, Nyanya, and Lugbe among others are mainly occupied by the low and middle-class worker and are characterized by yearly increase of rent.
Findings reveals that a three bedroom flat in Asokoro, Gwarinpa, Wuse, and Maitama could cost up to 4-6 million naira per annum, while a one or two bedroom flat in the same vicinity could go for a much as 2-4 million Naira per annum. On the other hand, a one bedroom flat in satellite towns like Lugbe, Kubwa, Karu amongst others cost up to 300-350 thousand naira per annum while a self-contain apartment goes for 150-200 thousand naira per annum.
According to a resident, as long as the houses or estates are beyond the reach of the common man, they will continue to be unoccupied. He further said as a result of the development, lots of people move to the suburbs like Suleja, Gwagwalada, Nyanya, Mararaba, Dutse among others because they cannot afford houses in Maitama, Asokoro, Wuse and others.
“Because of this development, they have been mounting pressure on the government to introduce property tax in FCT so that the owners of such houses will decide whether to stay in or sell them or give them to those who want to rent at affordable price. The tax, apart from forcing homeowners to rent out houses, will help government earn revenue,” he said.
Recall that during the 7th National Assembly, Senator Smart Adeyemi proposed a bill seeking to regulate the relationship between landlords and tenants as well as make provision for rent control in the FCT, but it was not passed before the close of the assembly.
Every day with the increase in population, there is a concurrent need for houses to accommodate this rising population. As a result, there has always been the need for individuals, corporations and governments to build and lease or rent houses to fill this void. These houses could either be for residential or commercial purposes.
Due to the Nigerian undue attachment to land and landed property, so much attention and superiority is added to the status of “Landlordship”. This makes up for the ill treatment the so-called landlords do met out to their often-poor tenants.
By Gbenga Odunsi, Abuja
The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has disbursed a total sum of ₦1.578 trillion to the Federal Government, state and local governments for the month of March 2025, underscoring ongoing efforts to sustain intergovernmental financing and fiscal responsibility across all tiers of government.
This development was contained in a communiqué issued after the FAAC meeting, and made public by Mr Bawa Mokwa, Director of Press and Public Relations in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, on Saturday.
According to the communiqué, the total distributable revenue of ₦1.578 trillion was made up of ₦931.325 billion from statutory revenue, ₦593.750 billion from Value Added Tax (VAT), ₦24.971 billion from the Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL), and ₦28.711 billion from exchange difference earnings.
FAAC revealed that the total gross revenue available in March stood at ₦2.411 trillion, signalling a strong revenue performance. From this amount, ₦85.376 billion was deducted for the cost of collection, while transfers, interventions and refunds accounted for ₦747.180 billion.
Further breakdown of the report indicates that the gross statutory revenue of ₦1.718 trillion received in March represented an increase of ₦65.422 billion when compared to the ₦1.653 trillion recorded in February.
The disbursement reflects the continued dedication of public financial managers and revenue-generating agencies who are working relentlessly under challenging economic conditions to ensure that government at all levels is adequately funded to meet the needs of the populace.
Observers and analysts view this steady growth in revenue as a positive trajectory, albeit with the understanding that transparency, accountability and prudent utilisation of public funds remain key to achieving lasting socio-economic impact.
National Issues
Gbenga Daniel Seeks End to Immunity for Governors, Calls for Constitutional Amendment
Senator Gbenga Daniel, representing Ogun East Senatorial District, has raised concerns over the misuse of constitutional immunity by state governors and their deputies, calling for an urgent amendment to the relevant section of Nigeria’s constitution.
Speaking on Political Paradigm, a Channels Television programme aired on Tuesday, the former governor of Ogun State (2003–2011) argued that Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution, which shields sitting governors and their deputies from both civil and criminal prosecution, has been widely abused.
Section 308 of the Nigerian Constitution grants immunity to the President, Vice President, governors, and deputy governors while in office, effectively barring legal proceedings against them throughout their tenure. However, Daniel insisted that this provision has been misused to avoid scrutiny and justice.
The senator’s remarks have stirred renewed debate about constitutional reform and accountability in public office, especially at a time when governance and transparency remain major concerns in Nigeria’s democratic journey.
Daniel’s call adds to the voices of other stakeholders who have advocated for a more accountable leadership structure and a constitution that upholds justice irrespective of office held.
As of press time, there has been no official response from the Nigerian Governors’ Forum regarding Senator Daniel’s comments.
TEXT OF THE BROADCAST BY PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES, DECLARING STATE OF EMERGENCY IN RIVERS STATE ON TUESDAY 18 MARCH 2025
Fellow Nigerians, I feel greatly disturbed at the turn we have come to regarding the political crisis in Rivers State. Like many of you, I have watched with concern the development with the hope that the parties involved would allow good sense to prevail at the soonest, but all that hope burned out without any solution to the crisis.
With the crisis persisting, there is no way democratic governance, which we have all fought and worked for over the years, can thrive in a way that will redound to the benefit of the good people of the state. The state has been at a standstill since the crisis started, with the good people of the state not being able to have access to the dividends of democracy.
Also, it is public knowledge that the Governor of Rivers State for unjustifiable reasons, demolished the House of Assembly of the state as far back as 13th December 2023 and has, up until now, fourteen (14) months after, not rebuilt same. I have made personal interventions between the contending parties for a peaceful resolution of the crisis, but my efforts have been largely ignored by the parties to the crisis. I am also aware that many well-meaning Nigerians, Leaders of thought and Patriotic groups have also intervened at various times with the best of intentions to resolve the matter, but all their efforts were also to no avail. Still, I thank them.
On February 28, 2025, the supreme court, in a judgment in respect of about eight consolidated appeals concerning the political crisis in Rivers State, based on several grave unconstitutional acts and disregard of rule of law that have been committed by the Governor of Rivers State as shown by the evidence before it pronounced in very clear terms:
“a government cannot be said to exist without one of the three arms that make up the government of a state under the 1999 Constitution as amended. In this case the head of the executive arm of the government has chosen to collapse the legislature to enable him to govern without the legislature as a despot. As it is there is no government in Rivers State.”
The above pronouncement came after a catalogue of judicial findings of constitutional breaches against the Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Going Forward in their judgment, and having found and held that 27 members of the House who had allegedly defected
“are still valid members of Rivers State House of Assembly and cannot be prevented from participating in the proceedings of that House by the 8th Respondent (that is, the Governor) in cohorts with four members”
The Supreme Court then made some orders to restore the state to immediate constitutional democracy. These orders include the immediate passing of an Appropriation Bill by the Rivers State House of Assembly which up till now has not been facilitated.
Some militants had threatened fire and brimstone against their perceived enemy of the governor who has up till now NOT disowned them.
Apart from that both the House and the governor have not been able to work together.
Both of them do not realise that they are in office to work together for the peace and good governance of the state.
The latest security reports made available to me show that between yesterday and today there have been disturbing incidents of vandalization of pipelines by some militant without the governor taking any action to curtail them. I have, of course given stern order to the security agencies to ensure safety of lives of the good people of Rivers State and the oil pipelines.
With all these and many more, no good and responsible President will standby and allow the grave situation to continue without taking remedial steps prescribed by the Constitution to address the situation in the state, which no doubt requires extraordinary measures to restore good governance, peace, order and security.
In the circumstance, having soberly reflected on and evaluated the political situation in Rivers State and the Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State having failed to make a request to me as President to issue this proclamation as required by section 305(5) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, it has become inevitably compelling for me to invoke the provision of section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State with effect from today, 18th March, 2025 and I so do.
By this declaration, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs Ngozi Odu and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months.
In the meantime, I hereby nominate Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) as Administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state in the interest of the good people of Rivers State. For the avoidance of doubt, this declaration does not affect the judicial arm of Rivers State, which shall continue to function in accordance with their constitutional mandate.
The Administrator will not make any new laws. He will, however, be free to formulate regulations as may be found necessary to do his job, but such regulations will need to be considered and approved by the Federal Executive Council and promulgated by the President for the state.
This declaration has been published in the Federal Gazette, a copy of which has been forwarded to the National Assembly in accordance with the Constitution. It is my fervent hope that this inevitable intervention will help to restore peace and order in Rivers State by awakening all the contenders to the constitutional imperatives binding on all political players in Rivers State in particular and Nigeria as a whole.
Long live a united, peaceful, secure and democratic Rivers State in particular and the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a whole.
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