The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has said that it has not been able to complete its permanent national secretariat complex since 2010 because the party is broke. This was disclosed in a report presented to the party’s national convention by its National Secretary, Senator Umaru Tsauri.
The subtitle of the report tagged ‘PDP New Secretariat Complex’ read, “Efforts were made to see to the completion of the new secretariat, however, this was stalled by paucity of funds.”
The report further stated: “The new PDP national secretariat building is an edifice that will comfortably house the party national secretariat as well as provide space for commercial leasing that will generate income to the party.”
The building is located on Plot 243, Cadastral Zone A, within the Central Business District, Abuja. The expansive building sits on an area of 7114.39 square metres.
According to the report, the 12-storey building has two basement floors with approximately 360 parking lots, modern conference centre with over 300 seating capacity.
The report also indicated that the building is expected to accommodate support services like IT and Telecommunication services; internal and external electrical and mechanical services; external works and beautification and landscaping of the surroundings of the building.
The report further stated that the contract for the project was awarded to Messrs BNL Engineering and Construction Limited, “after all necessary diligence and due process”.
Tsauri stated that the project site was handed over to the company on April 20, 2010, and that work started in earnest “with a view to finishing in record 30 months (126 weeks)”.
He noted that the civil/structural works on the entire project had gone up to about 98 percent completion.
However, the report took a swipe as Tsauri described the ruling party – All Progressives Congress (APC) as “clueless and vicious”.
He wrote, “In conclusion, I have to pay tribute to our state governors who are the strong pillars of support to this party.”
“It is sincerely difficult to oppose a clueless and vicious government like the present government with power mercy and vendetta. But yet our governors are able to stand the intimidation and survive it. We are proud of you, Your Excellencies”, he concluded.
The contractors handling the project were said to have abandoned the site in 2014 due to the party’s inability to commit funds to the project.
The main opposition party had, at various times in the past raised about N21 billion through fundraising dinners, purportedly to complete the project.
Billionaire businessmen, Aliko Dangote and Femi Otedola are among the major donors at the time.