…Says, Decision Irrational, Breaches Existing Contractual Agreements
A northern group, Arewa New Agenda (ANA) has called on the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike to restore the revoked contract of Integrated Facility Management Services Ltd (IFMSL), the contracting firm managing the International Conference Center in Abuja (The ICC).
They made the call at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday addressed by the group’s Deputy Chairman, Prof. Adamu Kyauta Usman.
The group said the Minister’s decision to terminate the management contract between IFMSL and Abuja Investments Company Limited (AICL) was hasty and inconsiderate.
He said, “The minister of the FCT, in his usual element, recently took to the media saying he has revoked the management contract of the ICC and threatened to shut it down. This action of the minister is irregular, devoid of due process and without regard for fair hearing.
“Minister Wike in purporting to terminate the management contract between IFMSL and Abuja Investments Company Limited (AICL) exhibits ignorance of what the ICC as a global standard Event Centre stands for.
“The ICC is the No. 1 event center in Nigeria. It is the go-to venue for international organizations having events in Nigeria. At the time of Wike’s purported revocation of Integrated Facility Managers management contract of the ICC, a number of international organizations have booked the ICC for their events.
“These bookings are for the whole year ending December 2024. The threat of the Minister to close down the ICC has impacted negatively on these bookings which are third-party contracts with clients locally and internationally.
“The threat also hampers international business; drives away foreign investment and kills growth and business prospects at a time the country needs these the most”.
The group accused Wike of alleged high-handedness and making irrational policy decisions that sometimes break rules and extant laws.
It added, “The name Nyesom Wike has become synonymous with controversy and un-guarded pronouncements not-minding whose ox is gored and what the larger consequences may be. This summarizes the character of the person who sits as the Minister of the FCT in the current administration.
“As an outsider in government, ordinarily this man should have been the humblest man in this government with a pleasant disposition and kind words. This unfortunately is not the case.
“The case is that Wike is projecting himself as the lord of the manor and a knight in a shining armour driven by nepotism, conceitedness and narcissistic posturing”.
It could be recalled that, the Minister had few days ago suspended all events at the International Conference Centre (ICC) Abuja, for renovation by Julius Berger.
The Minister was quoted after going round the ICC saying that, there is nothing international about the centre because it looks like only a conference center.
He said, “This is unacceptable. There is no way we can accept this as an International Conference Centre.
“You cannot call it a conference centre but not international, because there is no standard compared to any international conference centre.
“So, we are sorry to announce this; every booking made here is cancelled.We will start immediate rehabilitation of the centre to meet up with international standards”.
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