Bayelsa PDP, Landlord battle over N105 m rent arrears

The Bayelsa chapter of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are currently engaged in a battle of wits over accumulated rents on the party’s secretariats running into N105 million.

The landlord of the building housing the state secretariat of PDP in Bayelsa, Mr Chubby Walson has urged the leadership of the party in the state to ensure it settles the six years arrears of his rent before vacating his property.

It was learnt that following the judgement of a Bayelsa High Court which in June 2020 ordered the party to offset its outstanding rents on the secretariat, the party wrote the landlord to terminate the tenancy and remained silent on the rent arrears.

Walson, in a statement issued on Sunday in Yenagoa recalled that PDP has been occupying the six winged storey building used as secretariat since 2008.

The landlord, a stalwart of the party said the party has been owing him for six years now without paying, disclosing that instead of paying for his property, the party wrote to him that they are vacating the building.

On June 18, 2020 the state High Court sitting in Yenagoa delivered a judgement mandating the leadership of the party to pay a total sum of N105 million to the landlord being the outstanding rent owed for the property.

“After the judgement, the party through one of his executive approached his lawyer on how to settle the debt, only for me to realise that the party was just buying time to vacate the building without settling the debt.

“The party state Chairman, Solomon Agwana and Secretary, Gesiye Isowo has written to me stating that they are officially vacating my property.

“This after destroying the said property, in the letter, the party admitted that they have been in occupation of my property from August 1, 2008 till date and yet have wickedly refused to pay me the due rent for the past six years.

“PDP refusing to pay me my due rent is simply the story of callousness and wickedness, that is the property they have been occupying to record several electoral victories in Bayelsa.

“I will still take steps to seek redress for the damage and destruction of my property and PDP should not in any way wail or bemoan their fate if the law of karma visits it,” Walson said.

The state leadership of PDP declined to comment on the outstanding rent but provided the letter to the landlord, signed by its state Chairman, Hon. Solomon Agwana and Secretary, Hon. Gesiye Isowo

The party also admitted that they have been using the property from August 2008, informing him that they have vacated the building but did not state if they will upset the outstanding rents.

“This is to officially notify you that we have vacated your property that is situated along Alamieyeseigha expressway, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, that you entered a tendency agreement with Chief Rufus Abadi, the erstwhile party Chairman on 1st of August, 2008.

“Wherein he now offered the property to the party. That from 1st August, 2008 till date PDP had been in occupation of the property.

“We humbly, ask that you take possession of your property from the date of your receipt of this letter as we are no longer interested in occupying same,” the letter read in part.