Former Kaduna State Governor and ex-Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has made fresh revelations on the late Chief Audu Ogbeh’s legacy, recounting how the former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman resisted political manipulation and stood for fairness in Abuja’s land distribution.
El-Rufai spoke at a tribute session in honour of Ogbeh, who died recently, where he shared emotional personal encounters that highlighted the late politician’s integrity, courage, and selfless service to Nigeria. He described Ogbeh as a mentor, a father figure, and a patriot whose interventions at crucial moments helped prevent national injustice.
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Abuja Land Allocations: El-Rufai Exposes Obasanjo
The former FCT Minister revealed that shortly after he assumed office in 2003, an official analysis uncovered that three individuals from just three states in Nigeria controlled 62% of all residential plots in Abuja.
According to him, such an imbalance was dangerous for the Federal Capital Territory, which was meant to serve as a unifying home for all Nigerians. He said he immediately approached Chief Audu Ogbeh, who was PDP National Chairman at the time, to seek advice.
In El-Rufai’s words: “I went to Chief Audu Ogbeh as chairman of the party and as someone I considered my mentor. I explained the problem to him, and he told me: ‘Look, we have to inject a sense of balance in land ownership in Abuja for it to be a truly federal capital city.’”
Ogbeh, he recalled, devised a solution that involved granting disadvantaged states that lacked representation in land ownership large allocations through their state governments or housing corporations. This would ensure that people from states like Bayelsa could eventually buy and own property in Abuja, giving them a sense of belonging in the national capital.
While then-President Olusegun Obasanjo initially opposed giving allocations to states that did not vote for the PDP, Ogbeh stood his ground, insisting that fairness must trump party politics.
“We are trying to build a Nigeria for everyone. I love the PDP, but this is not about PDP,” Ogbeh reportedly told El-Rufai after persuading Obasanjo to accept the plan.
El-Rufai noted that Ogbeh’s insistence on inclusivity eventually forced the party to extend land allocations to states across political divides, thereby preventing Abuja from becoming the exclusive reserve of a few powerful interests.
El-Rufai further narrated how Ogbeh’s moral authority once saved a Catholic church in Abuja from demolition when he was carrying out strict enforcement of the city’s masterplan. While he had marked the church for removal due to traffic obstruction, Ogbeh appealed to him, saying the weekly inconvenience was a small price to pay for prayers for Abuja and Nigeria. Out of respect for Ogbeh, El-Rufai spared the church, which he said would otherwise have become “a football field or a park.”
He also revealed that after the APC won the 2015 presidential election, President Muhammadu Buhari initially wanted to appoint Ogbeh as Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF). But according to El-Rufai, political scheming and false allegations about Ogbeh’s farm loans prevented that appointment. Buhari later expressed regret and appointed him Minister of Agriculture, where he made significant contributions.
Highlighting Ogbeh’s achievements in office, El-Rufai reminded the audience that it was under the late minister that Nigeria drastically reduced rice imports from $5 million monthly to near zero, and designed the Anchor Borrowers Programme that provided farmers with low-interest loans.
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The former governor concluded his tribute with prayers for Ogbeh’s soul, describing him as a devout Catholic whose faith never blinded his sense of fairness and humanity. He praised him for treating younger politicians as equals and offering guidance without arrogance.
“He was passionate about progress. He was passionate about fairness, equity, and justice. Nigeria needs more and more Audu Ogbehs,” El-Rufai declared.
El-Rufai said Ogbeh’s death was not just a loss to his family but also to Nigeria as a whole, urging leaders to emulate his courage, fairness, and sense of national responsibility.
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