Dr Joe Abah Profile picture
Feb 25, 2018 6 tweets 2 min read Read on X
Some have asked me why the National Assembly is not focused on repealing the Land Use Act. Let me explain using a hypothetical situation. Let’s say that through the #NotTooYoungToRun campaign, you manage to become a “Distinguished Senator of The Federal Republic.” Short thread.
First thing you do as a new Senator is find someone who is close to the Senate President, so that he can assign you to a juicy committee. The Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory is a very good one. Don’t go and struggle for Appropriation or Petroleum Committees.
As Chairman Senate Committee on FCT, it would be really odd if the FCT Minister doesn’t allocate you land in a good part of the FCT. Assume for the sake of argument that he allocated you 5,000 sq. meters in Maitama. The official rate I think is N20k per sqm (Used to be just N2k)
At N20k per sq. meter, you pay N100 million for your 5,000 sq. meters. That land is immediately worth N1 BILLION. Now, if you are on good terms with your State Governor, it would be really odd if he doesn’t allocate you land in your state capital. Let’s say the same 5,000 sqm.
At state level, it will be cheaper (Lagos will be higher than other states). Let’s say you have to pay N2,000 per sqm. You pay N10 million. That land is immediately worth N100 million. In the course of 4 years, you can get more than one. Now, imagine you are a two-term Senator.
Very soon, people will start wondering about the source of your wealth. It doesn’t cost the Minister or Governor anything to give you the land. You haven’t done contracts o. That’s for small boys and hustlers. No EFCC wahala. Why would you want the Land Use Act abrogated? End.

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More from @DrJoeAbah

Oct 7, 2018
There seems to be confusion in the minds of some as to whether civil servants and public servants can be members of political parties. Some of the confusion is based on lack of knowledge, previously-wrong interpretation or political mischief. Let me explain in a short thread.
The Public Service Rules previously said that CIVIL servants (people that work in mainline Ministries) could not participate in politics because they are expected to be neutral. Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution gives every Nigerian the right to free assembly...wait for it...
Section 40 of the Constitution says: “...and in particular, he may form or belong to any political party...”! So you see, a civil servant can even form a political party, talk less of belonging to one. The case of a political appointee is even more straightforward.
Read 6 tweets
Sep 27, 2018
See enh? Minimum wage of N18,000 is unrealistic. Some states can’t even pay it. We can’t afford N56,000 if everything else remains constant: cost of governance, 1100 MDAs, NASS salaries & allowances, security votes, etc. We can afford it if we can take tough decisions. Can we?
The private sector cannot afford a minimum wage of N56,000, with multiple taxation, no light (the biggest expense for most companies is on diesel), poor transportation infrastructure, etc. Both the public & private sectors can’t afford it. Let’s stop lying to our people, please.
Our Gross National Income is insufficient to support 200m people with a population growth rate of 3%. Hard to believe, but, on a per capita basis, we are a poor country! Even if there was ZERO CORRUPTION in Nigeria, we won’t still have enough money to have a decent life. Get it?
Read 5 tweets
Sep 20, 2018
NIGERIA AIR: My thoughts. Having been too busy to follow the news since yesterday afternoon, I have only just learnt of the “indefinite suspension” of the Nigeria Air initiative. As it was announced by Minister of Aviation himself, it is safe to comment on it immediately. Thread.
In the public service, “indefinite suspension” is almost always a polite way of saying something has been cancelled. Having announced the “unveiling” of Nigeria Air to the world at large, this is a shocking embarrassment to the govt on a global scale. How could it have happened?
Commentators on the Nigeria Air could be divided into 4.
1. Those ideologically committed to the “free market”, who think government should be out of the way and everything should be left to “markets.”
2. Those that thought the necessary steps for it were not put in place first.
Read 14 tweets
Sep 17, 2018
THE KEMI ADEOSUN NYSC SAGA
I have been meaning to do a thread on Kemi Adeosun for a while now, as I considered her to be the most reform-minded Minister in the current govt. We will get to that later but let’s first deal with the NYSC saga that led to her resignation. Thread...
Let’s start with the Kemi Adeosun resignation letter. She said that she had become privy to the findings of the investigation into the allegation by @PremiumTimesng that the NYSC Exemption Certificate she presented was not genuine. She said she was shocked by the findings.
We are not yet privy to the findings of that those investigation but it is safe to assume that the investigation determined that the Exemption Certificate she presented was not genuine. She therefore felt that she had no option than to resign. I hope that govt will publicise it.
Read 39 tweets
Aug 23, 2018
@Dstoryteller_1 I started off as a lawyer during my NYSC (Yes, I did serve!😂) in Jos. I served in a private law firm but also taught Criminal Law at the Police College. So, I had two jobs and two flats. I was in money. I even started sending money home for my younger ones then. #drjoeabahstory
@Dstoryteller_1 I won my very first case as a lawyer: that of a widow that her late husband’s family wanted to take the tiny piece of land she was farming to feed the kids he left behind. I was so elated when we won. She had no money to give me but she knelt down & prayed for me. #drjoeabahstory
@Dstoryteller_1 I was doing a lot of pro bono cases and that was when I started thinking “I won’t make money from this law o.”😂 I wondered how Gani Fawehinmi made money. It took me a long time to realise it wasn’t all cases that he did for free and that he charged handsomely too.#drjoeabahstory
Read 29 tweets
Aug 11, 2018
Since the recent elections in Ekiti and the attendant allegations of vote-buying and vote-selling, I have been reflecting on why people sell their votes in an election. As always, we should start with definitions to ensure we are talking about the same things. Thread.
First of all, vote-buying and vote-selling are not peculiar to Nigeria or even the developing world. It happens everywhere. This is not a defence of what is alleged to have happened in Ekiti, but a statement of fact. Politicians make promises. The electorate votes in response.
When a politician promises something that you perceive will benefit you positively (Restructuring, 2nd Niger Bridge, East-West Road, Fighting Corruption, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway) you give them your vote in response. Is this the the vote selling we are talking about? No.
Read 15 tweets

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