SDP Faults Allocation of Old Parade Ground to APC, Urges Tinubu to Reverse Decision

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has expressed strong opposition to the reported allocation of the Old Parade Ground in Area 10, Abuja, to the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the construction of its proposed national secretariat.In a statement on Monday, the SDP National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, described the Old Parade Ground as a historic national monument that should be preserved for public use and posterity.According to the SDP, official records show that a two-hectare portion of the site, registered as Plot 4742 in Cadastral Zone A01, Garki District, was excised and handed over to the APC by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA). The party claimed that the land title and certificate of occupancy were processed and issued on the same day of the allocation.The statement further recalled that the Old Parade Ground, constructed at the inception of the Federal Capital Territory before the Eagle Square, has historically hosted national parades, cultural festivals, sporting events, and political rallies.

“The Old Parade Ground represents an important part of Nigeria’s history and should remain a national facility for collective use. Turning it into a party property undermines its historic and symbolic value,” Aiyenigba said.The SDP urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reconsider and override the allocation in the interest of preserving national heritage. It also called on Nigerians to resist what it described as the conversion of public assets into partisan property.

The APC currently operates from its national secretariat in Wuse 2, Abuja, which was acquired in 2021.