Abuja 5-star hotels fully booked ahead of APC, PDP presidential primaries

As the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) prepare to conduct their presidential primaries next weekend, most of the 5-star hotels in the Abuja metropolis have been fully booked for delegates ahead of the event.

Over 6000 delegates across the country are expected to arrive in the city centre to participate in the intense political activities that will take place in the city next weekend.

A survey conducted by our correspondent in Abuja on Tuesday, May 17, 2022, revealed that most of the hotels in the Federal Capital Territory have been booked, while other hotels where rooms were available hiked their prices.

Visiting the major 5-star hotels in the FCT, Pulse gathered that Transcorp Hilton Hotels, Maitama, now costs N243,000 per day against its average price, N107,000 for small rooms.

Also at Sheraton Hotel, the average price for small rooms, which used to be N70,000 is now pegged at N120,000 when our correspondent reached an agent to book a room.

Some of the hotels in the Utako and Wuse axis which share proximity to the ruling party’s secretariat located on Blantyre Street in the Wuse 2 district and that of the PDP’s National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, have no room left for booking.

It is also observed that the 3-star hotels in Abuja metropolis that cost an average of N15,000 have now been increased to N25,000 and N30,000.

After several searches, our correspondent was able to get a room at Icon Valley Hotel, situated at 56, Anthony Enahoro Street, Utako.

However, the management of the facility had created a special rate card to cater for bookings between the 25th-31st of May. On an average day, a VIP room that cost 18,000 in the hotel is now pegged at N30,000.

Speaking on why the prices are up, an attendant who simply identified himself as Johnson at Presken Hotel in Wuse, Zone 7, disclosed that the pressure and demand on them for accommodation is high and the management feels it is best they make the best of the opportunities.

“We don’t have any rooms left. I will advise you to pick a date after May 31st. These PDP, APC people have booked most of our rooms. In fact, we have stopped letting out the few ones. We were instructed to hold on to them so that they (management) can determine the best price for the suites when the d-day comes,” Johnson said.

Other hotels that were fully booked included, Top Rank Hotels, T.O.S. Benson Crescent, Off Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Utako; Links Hotel, Plot 1078, Cadastral Zone B5, Abuja; Glamour Park Hotels, 8 Anthony Enahoro Street Utako; Fraiser Suites,294 Leventis Close, Central Business District, Abuja; Berbera Palace Hotel, Wuse in Abuja.

The APC primaries, which have been rescheduled to hold on May 29 and 30, 2022, will take place at Eagle Square, while the PDP presidential primary scheduled for Saturday, May 28, will hold at the MKO Abiola Stadium on the outskirts of the Abuja City Centre.