2027: YPP’s Dr Young Vows to Tame ‘Shylock’ Landlords, Promises Rent Regulation in FCT
. . ..AMAC/Bwari House of Representatives hopeful identifies housing affordability, multiple taxation and transportation as key legislative priorities
By Prosper Okoye
Dr Atakulu Ugochukwu Young, the Young Progressive Party (YPP) candidate for AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency in the 2027 House of Representatives election, has pledged to make tackling soaring rental costs in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) his foremost legislative priority if elected.
Young made the commitment on Sunday in Abuja during the inauguration of his campaign council, where he outlined housing affordability, multiple taxation and transportation as the three major areas of focus in his proposed legislative agenda.
He disclosed that his first legislative proposal at the National Assembly would be a bill seeking to regulate rent increases, arguing that the persistent escalation of rental costs was forcing many residents out of their homes and deepening the housing affordability crisis across the FCT.
Citing examples of annual rents allegedly rising from ₦800,000 to ₦3.5 million and from ₦400,000 to ₦3 million, Young accused some landlords of imposing excessive increases without sufficient consideration for tenants' financial circumstances.
“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.
The YPP candidate estimated that about 70 per cent of FCT residents were struggling with housing costs, although he did not provide supporting data for the figure.
As part of his proposed intervention, Young advocated limiting rent increases to 10 per cent within a three-year period, saying the measure would introduce greater predictability into the rental market and protect tenants from arbitrary increases.
He maintained that his proposed legislation would address what he considered a gap in existing rent-related legislative proposals at the House of Representatives, which, according to him, had concentrated largely on tenancy rights and advance rent payments rather than establishing limits on rent adjustments.
On taxation, Young promised to pursue clearer legislative provisions to address multiple taxation, particularly the burden of overlapping charges on businesses operating within the FCT.
He argued that a more transparent and predictable tax system would enable business owners to plan effectively, manage operating costs and make investment decisions without the uncertainty associated with multiple levies.
Transportation also featured prominently in his proposed agenda. Young called for a more organised public bus transportation system operating along designated routes across the FCT.
According to him, an improved and properly regulated public transport network would provide commuters with affordable alternatives to private vehicles while helping to tackle the persistent threat of 'one-chance' robberies, in which criminal gangs reportedly disguise themselves as commercial transport operators to prey on unsuspecting passengers.
On his campaign structure, Young disclosed that his team had established coordinators across all 22 wards in the AMAC and Bwari area councils, comprising 12 coordinators in AMAC and 10 in Bwari.
He said the coordinators had previous electoral experience and would play critical roles in grassroots mobilisation and the party's electoral strategy ahead of the 2027 polls.
Speaking at the event, YPP presidential candidate, Dr Peter Agada, urged supporters to believe in Young's commitment and determination to bring about meaningful change.
Describing him as a candidate with a clear sense of purpose, Agada said: “He wants to make a difference. And he said he's slow, but he's definite. Please trust him.”
Agada also presented the rent-to-own housing concept contained in his presidential manifesto, arguing that Nigeria needed a housing model that would enable tenants to gradually acquire ownership of the properties they occupy.
He explained that under the proposed arrangement, rental payments would contribute towards the eventual purchase of a property, allowing occupants to build equity over time rather than remain perpetual tenants.
“What Nigeria needs now is not people to pay house rents. What we need now is rent to own,” he said.
The YPP presidential candidate further described the party as a viable political platform for young Nigerians, expressing confidence in its growing national visibility and political prospects.
In his remarks, the party's FCT chairman, Abraham Simeon Adedotun, called on supporters to intensify grassroots mobilisation behind YPP candidates, maintaining that the party was relying on personal contributions and organised community structures rather than public resources.
Adedotun criticised the use of financial inducements to attract political supporters, urging young Nigerians to resist attempts by established political interests to influence their electoral choices through short-term financial benefits.
He also dismissed suggestions that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would automatically secure victory in the FCT in 2027, insisting that YPP was building its presence across the territory through ward coordinators and area council structures.
In the AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency contest, Young is expected to face APC candidate John Shekwogaza Gabaya.
The political contest has also witnessed developments within the opposition, with PDP candidate Ahmed Dogara Jacob reportedly stepping down in favour of Gabaya in October.
With housing affordability, taxation and public transportation emerging as central themes of Young's campaign, his proposed legislative agenda is likely to face scrutiny over its feasibility, constitutional implications and the practical mechanisms required to translate campaign promises into enforceable policies.