A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has declared null and void any power belonging to the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) or the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) in naming streets or assign numbers to houses in Abuja.
Consequently, the court, in a judgement that was delivered by Justice Edward Okpe, issued an order, mandating AMMC and other departments of the FCDA, to remove street/crescent/road names that were illegally mounted without the approval of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).
It held that only AMAC has the powers of naming of roads, streets and numbering of houses in all the area councils in Abuja.
The judgement followed a suit marked CV/2083/2022, which was brought before the court by an aggrieved Abuja resident, Chief Obidi Ume.
The plaintiff had approached the court, praying it to among other things, determine; “Whether having regard to the provisions of Sections 7, 303 and 318 of the First Schedule Part II and Fourth Schedule Section 1(g) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the AMAC, is not conferred with the powers of naming roads and streets, the numbering of houses within the Area Council as done by every Local Government Area in Nigeria.
The plaintiff told the court that AMAC which was listed as the 1st defendant in the suit, had by a letter dated December 7, 2016, requested him to purchase the Street Naming Subscription Form in the sum of N25, 000.00.
He told the court that on April 13, 2018, the FCDA, which is the 2nd Defendant, notified him that approval was given for a street to be named after him and requested payment of related charges totalling the sum of N550, 000. 00.
According to the plaintiff, after the payment was confirmed, AMAC, duly named the street/crescent after him and mounted the related signposts and house numbering plaques
In his judgement, Justice Okpe held that none of the defendants was able to refute or contradict facts and proof of evidence the plaintiff adduced before the court.