The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has criticised the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) for spending N39 billion on the renovation of the Abuja International Conference Centre (ICC), calling it a reckless misplacement of priority amid widespread neglect of critical sectors like education and healthcare.
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja, CUPP National Secretary, Chief Peter Ameh, said the hefty renovation cost—coupled with the renaming of the facility to the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre—reflects a troubling focus on self-promotion rather than nation-building.
Ameh noted that the ICC, built in 1991 under General Ibrahim Babangida for N240 million, was already functional and required no such extravagant facelift. He accused President Tinubu’s administration of turning public infrastructure into “monuments of personal branding,” citing other institutions also renamed after Tinubu.
“This is not leadership—it is a shameful betrayal of public trust,” Ameh said. “The N39 billion squandered on this unnecessary facelift could have addressed more urgent needs such as education and healthcare.”
CUPP highlighted that public primary schools have remained closed for months due to underfunding, while healthcare centres and local councils are crippled by strikes. It demanded an immediate investigation into the renovation contract and called for a redirection of resources toward impactful governance.
“We urge President Tinubu to focus on building a legacy through schools that educate, hospitals that heal, and industries that employ—not monuments to personal ambition,” the statement concluded.
