By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, has revealed the real reason why the former military Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, constructed the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja.
According to the Minister, the ICC was built to host a meeting of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) that was originally scheduled to take place in Ethiopia.
Due to a communist regime in Ethiopia, a security report indicated that the meeting would likely be attacked—Egypt was next in line to host the meeting, but it faced its own issues—As a result, Nigeria stepped in to provide a suitable venue, leading to the construction of the ICC, Wike revealed.
Wike made this disclosure to reporters on Wednesday in Abuja while inspecting ongoing projects in the territory, which included visits to the N5 and Apo-Wassa roads, culminating at the ICC.
He also mentioned that the rehabilitation and renovation of the ICC is currently 70 to 80 percent complete, with the total cost of the project amounting to N39 billion.
He said: “I was reading IBB’s book, and while I was reading the book, I came to how this ICC was conceived, the importance of this International Conference Centre. In fact, for what the narrative of the former president, head of state, he said they were supposed to have OAU meeting at Addis Ababa, and that time, it does appear that there was a communist government in Ethiopia, and then they got a security report that they were going to be attacked, and the only option left was for Egypt and Nigeria to make sure that OAU meeting held.
“Unfortunately, Cairo had a problem, and the only option now was Nigeria, and so it was a big problem for them how to make sure they host the OAU meeting. And then this idea came up, they must build an International Conference Centre, that would be befitting for conferences, meetings of other countries that would be coming, and so they had to do what we call “oil swap” for this construction, that’s how ICC came up.
“It’s unfortunate like I’ve always said, after that period, the whole place died. This was given to one senator, who was making money out of it, but killing the edifice.
“We of course, had to take a drastic decision. Ethnicity came in, religion came in, all because it’s from so so person, and that’s a major problem in this country. You are not able to take a decision because you are from so so place, but because you worship the so so and so, and I said No, that’s not my business. He went to court but you can’t stop this.
“So I’m happy what is going on. Julius Berger had promised us that they are going to complete it. This is at the cost of 39 billion naira that we’re spending. 39 billion naira is not 39 million naira.
“Also all the materials are all on ground, and when you want to talk about percentage of work, you don’t just talk about just work, you also have to have the materials on ground. So I can say that there’s 70 to 80 percent, and they have assured that they would complete it and hand over by May.
“To everybody’s happiness that you’re from a country like this, you cannot talk about a befitting conference center. Then what is the essence of Nigeria, the biggest nation? Are we just big by name? We travel all over the world, and we see everything, why should our own be different?
“So we’re giving Nigerians the best, and I thank God for the support of Mr. President, who said we can continue to have this, and from what you’ve seen, really, it’s an international conference center.
“So we’re happy with the work, and I can assure you, come May, by the grace of God, all of us will come here with happiness. Thanking God and thanking Mr. President, for the support. Because If it’s a president that has no foresight, maybe, like it has been here all these years, where other presidents have come and gone.
“Nobody deemed it necessary to say Nigeria must have an international conference that’s befitting of a nation like Nigeria. But he came here and said, no, this cannot continue. We have to give the country the best and that’s what he is doing here today,” Wike stated.