…Alleges ‘bias, defamation.’
by Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
Kaduna Polytechnic, a federal institution located in Kaduna State, has allegedly denied acceptance of Messrs Trophy Hotels Ltd as “highest bidder” in a proposal to lease Kadpoly Hotels for five good years.
The development has sparked-up widespread suspicion as the hotel’s management staffs have raised alarm of alleged biasness, while accusing Kadpoly Hotels sub-committee of defamation of image of the hotels.
The Polytechnic authority had recently put out advertisement inviting proposals from prospective companies to lease and operate Kadpoly Hotels for five consecutive years.
Messrs. Trophy Hotels Ltd, situated at Gwari Avenue, Barnawa GRA, Kaduna, applied and emerged the highest bidder, with N191,343,600 million, followed by D Enterprise, and Hotel 17, with N96 million and N26 million out of 9 competing firms, respectively.
Documents obtained from Kadpoly, dated 16th December 2025, titled, ‘Letter of debriefing for opening of technical and financial proposals for lease of Kadpoly Hotels,’ stated that the lease has been given to a successful bidder firm yet to be announced, instead of Trophy Hotels Ltd the highest bidder.
The documents, with reference No.KPT/STDB/PROC/CA/LEASE/PRE.Q/2025/VOL.1/9, bearing Kaduna Polytechnic, office of the Rector, signed by Director Procurement, Engr. Lawal Sani, stated that Trophy Hotels Ltd is not a responsive bidder.
The letter, addressed to the Managing Director Trophy Hotels, stated that Trophy Hotels Ltd is not a responsive bidder and the lease given to successful bidder, causing stirs by the bidder.
“Following participation of your company in the technical and financial proposals opening for the lease of Kadpoly Hotels on Wednesday 3rd December 2025, at the council’s chamber Federal Polytechnic Kaduna and the bids evaluation by sub-committee of technical board, I am pleased to inform you that your company, Messrs. Trophy Hotels Ltd, is not a responsive bidder and the lease given to successful bidder,” it stated.
Earlier, in a letter dated 28th November 2025, and signed by Director Procurement, Trophy Hotels is said to meet the eligibility requirements in submission for the process as set out in the advertisement and was, therefore, pre-qualified for participation in the proposal opening held Wednesday 3rd December 2025.
The Hotels had submitted proposals, technical and financial, in envelope as requested, stating that tender documents collected by pre-qualified company at Procurement Director’s secretary office, Tudun Wada Main Campus, Kadpoly, was with evidence of payment of non-refundable fee of N10,000.00, in favour of Kaduna Polytechnic’s remita account.
Contacted, the spokesman of Kaduna Polytechnic, Mr. Godwin Ayegba, could not respond to the clarification till the time of filing this report, responded in greeting chat.
Although, Mr. Godwin responded to greetings, “Thanks, my brother. How your family too?,” but could not respond to clarification messages: “Spokesman, Sir, I want you to react to some salient issues concerning Kadpoly, please:
“What’s really happening why Kadpoly did not recognize the highest bidder for proposals for leasing of Kadpoly Hotels? We want details on reasons denied highest bidder, please.
“And why Kadpoly refused making successful bidder company or hotel public? I’m aware of both technical and financial proposals process involved?
“What did the sub-committee referred to a hotel as ‘not responsive bidder?’ Is that not vulgar display of words and defamatory?
“Thirdly, I noticed and, reliably gathered, with all sincerity of facts that an individual is developing Federal Polytechnic (Kadpoly) campus land located at bypass, opposite Television Village, Kaduna.
“I also have laudable details on some of the issues. I want to know, who owns the structure or building being erected on the land now, pls.
“Kindly take these as a formal application for clarification from the school authority. Morning, Sir. Journalist with Daily Monitor, others,” the statement stressed.
Earlier, Messrs Trophy Hotels Ltd had in a complaint expressed surprise suspicions for not chosen its hotels as the highest bidder, and for not disclosing name of the successful bidder and for addressing it as “not a responsive bidder,” describing the statement as defamatory.
Trophy Hotels Ltd statement reads: “The last Letter served on Trophy Hotel did not disclose any reason why, as the highest bidder, the Hotel was not chosen. The said letter is defamatory as it states that Trophy Hotel is not a responsive bidder.
“The letter did not state the details of the bidder that emerged and the reason for the choice of the said bidder. Federal Polytechnic Kaduna is a public institution guided by Public Procurement Act; when it comes to such transactions, and the process must be seemingly transparent,” Trophy Hotels stated.
Findings, however, revealed that the institution (with its main campus at the centre of Kaduna State) gave Trophy Hotels a ‘technical knockout,’ fearing that it may introduce alcohol and turn Kadpoly Hotels for beer-drinking Centre, coming from Barnawa GRA, a seemingly Christian background.
The Federal Polytechnic had also been at the centre of storms for allegedly ‘illegally allocating’ the institution’s land to high-profile individuals, who had commenced building structure at its campus located opposite Television Village, by the bypass, Kaduna South, generating heats between developers and Human Rights Organization, popularly known as Eagle Brain.