The Rivers State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development has given Accord, one of the frontline political parties in the state, seven days to shut down its party office located at 5 Ndoni Street G.R.A., Port Harcourt.
In a notice seen by ait.live the directive claims that the property now used as party office violates the Rivers State Land Use Regulations 2010 and the Executive Order 2022 signed by Governor Nyesom Wike.
The notice contained an order for the property to revert to its original status as a residential building or risk being sealed off.
The warning was signed by the Commissioner of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Austen Ben-Chioma.
The directive stated, “We have observed that you have changed the use of your property from Residential to Commercial/Semi-Public at the aforementioned location without permit from the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development which is in violation to Article 43 (Change of purpose clause) in the Land Use Regulation 2010 of the Rivers State official gazette no 1 Vol 48 of 25 January 2012 and executive order RVSG 22 of 2022.”
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The notice adds “the unilateral Change of Use/Purpose of the building is constituting a nuisance to residents and other users in the area”.
ait.live reached out to the legal adviser of Accord in the state, Prefaa Mark who confirmed receipt of the letter, but said that the property has been used as the party’s office for the past five years.
He described the directive as unacceptable, accusing the PDP-led government in Rivers State of trying to cause chaos in the polity.
The Rivers State PDP has been at loggerheads with Accord in the run-up to the 2023 elections following the court action instituted by the PDP seeking the disqualification of the governorship candidate of Accord, Dumo Lulu-Briggs and all State and National Assembly candidates of the party.
The PDP claims the process that threw up candidates of Accord did not follow due process as it ran contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.
Accord has consistently held that its primaries followed laid down procedures and was monitored by INEC.
Editor Oloyede Oworu
