The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has directed owners of hotels, event centres, and other public facilities in Abuja to transact only with leaderships of political parties officially recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The administration also warned that properties used to host gatherings of what it described as illegal organisations could face sanctions, including the revocation of title documents.
The directive was contained in a statement issued on Friday by Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
According to the statement, the measure is part of efforts to strengthen security across the Federal Capital Territory and prevent public facilities from being used for activities capable of threatening public peace and order.
“In view of the need to further ensure the security of lives and properties in the FCT and sustain the efforts of security agencies in this regard, usage of Event Centres, Hotels and other public buildings will now be closely monitored.
“This is aimed at ensuring that they are not used by illegal organisations for gatherings capable of disrupting the peace of the nation’s capital,” the statement said.
The FCTA noted that land allocations within the territory are intended strictly for lawful purposes and warned that operators who fail to comply with the directive would face sanctions.
The administration specifically urged owners of hotels and event centres to verify the legitimacy of groups seeking to use their facilities, particularly during the current political season.
“For instance, in this political season, owners of Event Centres and Hotels in particular must ensure that they only deal with Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)-recognised leadership of political parties in respect of the use of their facilities, and proper records of transactions must be kept,” the statement added.
The FCTA warned that failure to comply could result in severe penalties.
“Failure to comply with this directive will result in the revocation of the title documents of such properties,” the statement said.
The administration did not identify any specific organisation or political group in connection with the directive but maintained that the measure is necessary to safeguard security and maintain law and order in the nation’s capital.