August 2nd, 2007
By Joe Nwankwo,Snr. Correspondent, Abuja

This is line with its policy of excluding essential houses from the sale of government houses conducted by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Constance Momoh, explained the government position in Abuja.

Family of late Justice Bashir Sambo, immediate past Chairman of CCT, had earlier alleged that the current chairman, Momoh, used her position to take over a house which they claimed had been duly bought by their bread winner (Sambo) during the sale of non–essential government houses.

However, in a statement by the Media Adviser to Momoh, Austin Braimoh, the tribunal explained that on April 3, government reached a decision not to sell the official residence of the tribunal’s chairman as it was an essential property needed by successive chairmen for the proper performance of their judicial duties.

According to Braimoh, the tribunal merely applied to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) for a residential accommodation for its new chairman.

He explained that following the said application, the matter of the sale of the tribunal’s chairman’s official accommodation was tabled at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, leading to the withdrawal of an offer letter issued to Sambo by the FCTA.

Braimoh’s statement reads in part: "In a letter dated March 16th, 2006, the Minister of the FCT informed the Tribunal that House No. 1, Aso Drive Maitama, Abuja had been exempted from the sale of non – essential housing units in Abuja and directed the recovery of the said house through the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation".