Zulum directs urban board to unseal NNPP’s office

The Borno state governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, on Friday directed the State Urban Development Board to “immediately unseal Maiduguri headquarters of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP),” describing the board’s decision as “wrong-timing.”

The governor’s spokesman, Malam Isa Gusau, confirmed in a statement issued Friday that the governor became aware of the board’s action and directed that it should be reversed.

According to him, “No matter the justification, the timing is wrong.”

The statement read in part, “The good people of Borno state are well aware that in the last three years, the Borno State Urban Development Board has been carrying out a series of reforms which included sealing of some buildings operated by individuals, corporate bodies like Banks and even some government institutions which issues contravened laws relating to non compliance with Maiduguri’s town planning procedures.

“Although the board claimed to have acted in the same regard in acting against other offices, by sealing the NNPP’s headquarters for wrongful conversion of residential area for office purpose, Governor Zulum regards the board’s action as that of wrong-timing.

“Zulum believes that no matter the justification, the board’s decision is bound to be given political interpretation and which could heat up the polity and cause needless distractions. For that reason, Governor Zulum has already directed that the board should suspend its own rule on this particular instance bordering on the NNPP. The governor believes that reversing the decision is in the overall public interest for peace.

Governor Zulum believes that all political parties should be free to lawfully operate and citizens should be free to associate with political parties of their choice without hindrances.”