The Aba Landlords protection and Development Association, ALPADA has passed a vote of no confidence on the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP led Government in Abia state. Performing the exercise during their March 8, monthly meeting, at Unubi hall, Ngwa Road , Aba, members of the Association levelled various allegations on the government, ranging from lack of trust, fraud, unreliability, deceit, intimidation, harassment, multiple taxations, failed redemption of pledges on the part of the state Governor, and others too numerous to be mentioned here.
Excerpts of their resolution; “It is on record that we are the only Association in Abia State that made it compulsory that all our members must pay their property rates to the Government of Abia State via Board of Internal Revenue (B.I.R) and we do not demand for commissions. In 2016 we spent over a Million Naira in hosting the Executive Governor Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu at the Catholic Diocese of Abia C.K.C. which Sponsorship was 100% borne by our Association. But in the same 2016, we made only one request to the Governor of Abia State to the effect that we want to pay property taxes to the Government directly and not through any agent, which the Executive Governor Dr. Victor Okezie Ikpeazu Ph.D. approved, there and then directed us to come to Government House Umuahia which we did and he called the then Chairman Board of Internal Revenue (B.I.R.) Ogbonna Udochukwu who at the instance of the Governor directed us to pay through the consolidated Window called Abiapluc . From 2016 to 2019 we made a total payment on behalf of our members to the tune of (N9,862,000) and the Abiapluc told us that they lodged the money in the bank installment ally, giving us automated bank print out which majority of them turned out to be fraudulent documents, as out of these money we paid, only (N1,137,000) was paid into the Government account and the U.B.A. Plc confirmed it, whereas (N8,725,000) was diverted into the private purse of staff of the Abiapluc and the fraudulent purported bank automated receipt were given to us and to our members. By July 27, 2020, we wrote a petition to His Excellency Victor Okezie Ikpeazu Ph.D the Executive Governor Ikpeazu, which we ensured was duly received in his office on the 28th of July, 2020 and copy of the same letter was addressed to the Deputy Governor and Chairman I.G.R. Abia State,, another to the Chairman Board of Internal Revenue (B.I.R.) Ogbonna Udochukwu, up till today they did nothing about the issue. Despite the fact that we paid to the Abiapluc and obtained the bank automated receipt from Abiapluc, agents of Aba South L.G.A went on to sued our members before Aba Na Ohazu Customary Court for nonpayment of property Rate. We engaged a lawyer to defend our members, the State Government sent their lawyer to contest the right of Aba South L.G.A to institute the action.. At the end of the matter, the Court gave judgment and said that it is the duty of the Local Government to collect property rate from Landlords according to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Amended) and not state government. Government of Abia State did not refund our members any money rather they insisted that our members must continue paying them the property Rate which is one of the items in the consolidated Abiapluc. In 2017, we sued Abia State Government on infrastructure levy which is a multiple taxation in Aba High Court, up till today 8th of March 2023, Abia State Government have not deemed it necessary to file her defense in the matter but keep serving demand Notices including infrastructure to the Landlords. Furthermore, Most of our tenants who are civil servant and pensioners were not paying us house rent; their reason is that the Government have not paid salaries and pensioners their due fees for a long time. The Government of Abia State assured us many times that they must complete the road in Port Harcourt Road, Obohia, Ohanku e.t.c especially, Port Harcourt Road where they destroyed many buildings from 1 to around 580 buildings in Port-Harcourt Road, that they are building 6 Lane instead of 4 Lane originally, Not less than 20 of our members whom their houses were affected have died, others in stroke and other suffered health challenges due to the facts that the income they were receiving from their building is not coming again and up till today 8th of March, 2023 the Government has confirmed they cannot complete the project without compensating the victims. High Taxation on Keke Operators: Many Keke operators whom are our tenant could not pay their house rent as at when due, due to the higher taxation imposed on them by these P.D.P. led Administration in Abia State. Failed Redemption of Pledges by The Governor: In 13th November, 2018 during our launching of twin Project at Aba Sports Club. The Governor pledged to give the sum of 5 Million Naira and container of Shoe packs on his own and said that he will invite us to Government House Umuahia, for him to tell us what the Government of Abia State will do for us, we have sent many reminder letters uptill today 8th of March, 2023 none of the promises were fulfilled. Unaccountable Payments Made to Local Government Health Authorities: From 2017 – 2022, we have paid the total sum of N13,695,000.00 (Thirteen Million, Six Hundred and Ninety Five Thousand Naira) to the Local Government Health Authorities (Aba South= N12,437,000.00, Aba North N940,000.00, Osisioma N318,000.00), and No official receipt were given to our members and we have nobody to report to. Since the one we paid to the state Government Account failed to go into the Government Account and we reported to them and no response from them up till date. Diversion of revenues; Our members made a total of N5,239,360 for 2022 Sanitation and Abiapluc Fee which was paid through the account the Board of Internal Revenue sent to us and printout were given to us, some of our members who paid this money were arrested by Abia State Revenue Court in Aba, some were sent to prison that they did not pay, others were asked to pay a very higher amount and then said that the receipt given to us from bank through the Board of Internal Revenue (B.I.R) representative were fake and most annoying they will not serve demand notice and Court Summon but they will go behind inform the Court that they have serve those processes and our member failed to come to court and request for an order from Court to seal the premises which is granted to them and they will move in the midnight and lock the premises which resulted to locking in children, pregnant woman, unhealthy people and many others we cannot enumerate here. The Landlords submitted that as a result of the above actions, “the P.D.P led Government in the state has caused massive reduction of members of our association from 4,822 in 2018 to 1328 active participant in 2023 which made it look like the executives of the Association are part of these fraudulent scheme which almost tarnished the image of our Aba Landlords Protection and Development Association (ALPADA). “We are therefore saying loudly that we have no confidence in the P.D.P led Government in Abia state”, they submitted. The documents were signed by Engr. Leonard Onyemesiri, Acting President General/ALPADA Director of Programs and Comrade Benson Imoh, Secretary General. END
