Reps reject motion to change name of Apo Legislators’ Quarters Abuja

The House of Representatives on Wednesday rejected a motion
urging the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to
change the Name, “Apo Legislators Quarters” to reflect current
realities.

This followed a motion by Rep. Segun Adekola (PDP-Ekiti) at
plenary.

Adekola explained that the motion was borne out of compassion
for new legislators who passed through difficult experiences before
they could get befiting accommodation.

Adekola said in 2004, the Federal Executive Council mandated the
Federal Capital Territory Administration to sell all Federal
Government non-essential houses in Abuja.

He said this included the Apo Quarters which was sold to
Legislators occupying houses at the time under specific rules and
guidelines.

He expressed concern over the challenging experiences new
legislators were subjected to in their quest to get decent
accommodation in the FCT.

The lawmaker stressed that this was due to the sale of the
quarters originally built to accommodate them.

Adekola further expressed concern over the continuous use of the
name “Apo Legislative Quarters” in describing the place, when in
actual fact, most of the houses were no longer being occupied by
legislators.

According to him, it has since changed hands due to sales to
third or even to a fourth party.

He said there was the need to protect and uphold the sanctity of
the legislature by putting in place, a corrective measure to
address the ugly trend and distortion of fact.

He, therefore, called for change of the name, as over 80 per
cent of the inhabitants of the quarters were not legislators.

“Legislature is the distinctive mark of a country’s
sovereignty.

“The index of its status as a state and the source of much of
the power exercised by the executive arm of government in the
administration of the country.

“The legislature is the bedrock of any government, being an
institution which represents the common and collective interests of
the citizens.

(It is exercised) “through the enactment of laws and the
exercise of oversight functions on the activities of the executive
arm of government.

“In June 2003, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, based on the
recommendation of a committee headed by the then Secretary to the
Government of the Federation, Ufot Ekaette directed that the fringe
benefits of all public and political office holders be
monetised,”

Contributing to the motion,
Rep. Uzoma Nkem-Abonta (PDP-Abia) sought a new prayer to the motion
to ensure that FCTA urgently provided befitting quarters and set
aside for serving legislators.

The Deputy Speaker, Yussuff Lasun, asked the mover of the motion
to withdraw it, as many former members still resided in the
quarters.

He said that the name of the place had no bearing on how the
parliament performed.

Also, the Deputy Chief Whip, Mr Pally Iriase, said that the
world over, monuments were maintained for historical purposes.

He said that though many members no longer resided in the
quarters, the name was a point of history that should be preserved
for historical purposes.

Rep. Johnson Agbonayinma (APC-Edo said that the quarters lost
its status as a national monument, the moment it was monetised and
lost its initial function and status.

The motion was unanimously rejected by members when it was put
to a voice vote by the Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara. (NAN)