Picture: Hon Atakulu Ugochukwu Young
By Prosper Okoye
The Young Progressives Party (YPP) candidate for AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency in the 2027 House of Representatives election, Atakulu Ugochukwu Young has vowed to tackle rising house rents in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), promising to make rent regulation his first legislative priority if elected.
Young made the pledge on Sunday in Abuja during the inauguration of his campaign council, where he identified housing affordability, multiple taxation and transportation as the major pillars of his proposed legislative agenda.
He disclosed that his first bill at the National Assembly would seek to regulate rent increases, accusing some landlords of imposing excessive hikes that were forcing tenants out of their homes.
Citing instances where annual rents reportedly jumped from N800,000 to N3.5 million and from N400,000 to N3 million, Young said the situation had become unbearable for many residents.
“Young men and young women have been driven out of their houses. Why? Because one landlord increased their rents by 500 per cent,” he said.
He estimated that about 70 per cent of FCT residents were struggling with housing costs and proposed limiting rent increases to 10 per cent within a three-year period to provide tenants with greater financial stability.
Young maintained that his proposed legislation would go beyond existing rent-related bills, which he said focused largely on tenancy rights and restrictions on advance rent payments without adequately addressing excessive rent increases.
On taxation, he promised to pursue legislation that would establish clearer rules and prevent multiple taxation of businesses, arguing that excessive and unpredictable charges discourage investment and undermine business growth.
He also proposed an organised public bus transportation system operating along designated routes across the FCT.
According to him, an efficient public transport network would provide affordable alternatives to private vehicles and help curb the activities of criminal gangs operating under the guise of commercial transport operators, popularly known for their involvement in ‘one chance’ robberies.
Young disclosed that his campaign had established structures across all 22 wards in AMAC and Bwari, with 12 coordinators in AMAC and 10 in Bwari. He said the coordinators were experienced political mobilisers with previous electoral experience.
The YPP presidential candidate, Dr Peter Agada, urged supporters to trust Young’s commitment, describing him as a determined candidate seeking to make a difference.
“He wants to make a difference. And he said he’s slow, but he’s definite. Please trust him,” Agada said.
Agada also presented a rent-to-own housing proposal contained in his presidential manifesto, arguing that Nigerians should be able to convert their rental payments into eventual ownership of the properties they occupy.
“What Nigeria needs now is not people to pay house rents. What we need now is rent to own,” he said.
He explained that the arrangement would allow tenants to make payments towards the eventual ownership of their homes, with each payment gradually reducing the outstanding cost of the property until ownership is transferred.
He further described YPP as a platform for young Nigerians, insisting that the party had continued to expand its national visibility.
The party’s FCT chairman, Abraham Simeon Adedotun, called on supporters to mobilise behind its candidates, saying the party was relying on personal contributions and grassroots organisation rather than public funds.
He accused established political parties of using money to attract supporters and urged young Nigerians to resist exchanging their political choices for short-term financial inducements.
Adedotun also dismissed claims that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would dominate the FCT in the 2027 elections, insisting that YPP was building a formidable grassroots network through its ward coordinators and area council structures.
In the AMAC/Bwari contest, Young is expected to face APC candidate John Shekwogaza Gabaya. The PDP candidate, Ahmed Dogara Jacob, was reported to have stepped down in favour of Gabaya in October.
Tags: YPP, Abuja Politics, 2027 Elections, Rent Control
