The uncompleted 12-storey building designed to be the national headquarters of the former ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has become a hoist of sorts for mega-sized billboards advertising alcoholic drinks.
The massive commercial billboards, two on each side of the building, brandished alcoholic drinks, with one featuring the image of a popular Afrobeat musician.
Besides being used as a billboard stand, the abandoned building, which has become a shadow of what its designers intended, has become a haven for market vendors and hangers-on.
The once-intimidating tower, located at the strategic Central Business District of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has largely remained uncompleted since its conception in 2008. The projected sum was given at N16bn. Funds were mobilised for BNL Limited construction company on November 14, 2008, to begin and oversee the completion of the project with a timeline of 126 days after the foundation laying ceremony.
Even a series of fundraisers and billions generated by influential Nigerians have yet to see the project surpass the 60 per cent completion stage.
More so, interventions by several national chairmen, including the late Prince Vincent Ogbulafor and Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, to complete the building have failed to do much.
The last attempt to raise funds for the building was shortly before the 2015 general election when over N21 billion was raised. Yet, the project failed to fly.
The PDP ruled the country from 1999 until 2015 when it lost power to the incumbent All Progressives Congress (APC).
Leaders of the once self-acclaimed largest opposition party in black Africa could not complete the project due to internal wranglings, indiscipline, unbridled ambitions, and alleged embezzlement of party funds.
However, a local food seller was seen at its entrance during yesterday’s visit by LEADERSHIP to the 12-storey building.
The food seller, popularly called “mama put” in local parlance, who also declined to state her name, said when she decided to take the spot, she had a hard time clearing out the weeds and small trees at the location.
She also needed to find out whether or not she got permission to use the place.
When LEADERSHIP asked about the security situation around the place, an auto mechanic, Ben, whose shop is behind the building, said it was largely secure.
However, when contacted, the party refused to comment on it.
Several calls and text messages placed to the PDP national chairman, Amb Illiya Damagum, have yet to be replied to. A text message was sent to his line at 7:36 p.m., and calls made to him within the same period were not picked up.
However, a top-ranking party source said it was “strange that the party national secretariat would allow its property to advertise alcoholic products so brazenly.”
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