Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has reversed the revocation of a property belonging to former military governor General Anthony Stephen Ukpo (Rtd).
The land in question, Ogeyi Place Hotels—formerly known as Le Meridien Hotels Limited—is located at Plot 319, GRA Phase II, Port Harcourt.
The property was initially revoked by the previous administration under former Governor Nyesom Wike, reportedly to spite former PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar. The Fubara administration announced the cancellation of the revocation in a newspaper publication, citing that the original revocation was “made in error.”
This decision occurs against a backdrop of recent political tensions and realignments in Rivers State. In December 2022, an unconfirmed letter from the Wike-led government indicated that the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) for Ogeyi Place Hotels was revoked due to alleged default on ground rent payment. At the time, Opunabo Inko Taria, former Media Adviser to Governor Wike, criticized the action, suggesting it was a punitive measure against the hotel for hosting a meeting of Atiku supporters.
The revocation was perceived by some as part of Wike’s political maneuvering ahead of the 2023 presidential election.