FCT minister, Wike, revokes PDP national secretariat’s land in Abuja

By Clement Adeyi, Abuja

The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has revoked the land belonging to People’s Democratic Party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

Wike had issued a revocation notice in a letter dated March 13, 2025, titled: “Notice of Right of Occupancy with file no: MISC 81346 in Respect of Plot no: 243 Within Central Area District, Abuja.”

Notice of revocation issued to PDP 

The notice was signed by the Director, Land Administration (FTC), Chijioke Nwankwoeze.

According to Nwankwoeze, the opposition party had failed to pay the annual ground rents due on the property for 20 years, from January 1, 2006, to January 1, 2025, despite a series of publications in several national media platforms to pay up all the outstanding bills and ground rent on its property.

The above Right of Occupancy granted to PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP), NATIONAL SECRETARIAT

The letter read: “I have been directed to refer to the above Right of Occupancy granted to PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP), NATIONAL SECRETARIAT and inform you that the Minister of Federal Capital Territory has in the exercise of powers conferred on him under the Land Use Act No. 6 of 1978, Cap. L5, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, revoked your rights, interests and privileges over Plot No. 243 within Central Area, Cadastral Zone A00, Abuja.”

It added: “The revocation is in view of your continued contravention of the terms and conditions of grant of the Right of Occupancy by failing to pay the annual ground rents due on the property for twenty (20) years, from 1st of January 2006 to 1st of January 2025. This is despite the many publications made by the FCT Administration since 2023 in several national dailies and on electronic media requesting all allotees of plots in the Federal Capital Territory to pay up every outstanding bill and ground rent on their property.

Failing to pay the annual ground rents due on the property for twenty (20) years

“You would please note that the said breaches by PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP), NATIONAL SECRETARIAT (MISC 81346) run contrary to the provisions of Section 28, Subsection 5 (a) and (b) of the Land Use Act.”

Wike said that the FCTA administration would henceforth take immediate possession of the party secretariat until all bills had been settled.

Wike had earlier approved the revocation of 4,794 land titles in the FCT, over non-payment of ground rent, estimated at N6.9bn for more than 40 years.

PDP National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum

This was contained in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, on Monday, following a press briefing by the Director of Lands, Chijioke Nwanwkoeze, on Monday.

According to the statement, a total of 8,375 property owners in the Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama and Guzape, had not paid ground rent in the last 43 years.

Olayinka added that the property owners owed a total of N6,967,980,119, while 4,794 land titles are in default of ground rent payment for 10 years and above.

FCTA made numerous publications in national newspapers and announcements on broadcast media since 2023

According to him, the revocation followed multiple publications and announcements on broadcast media by the FCT Administration since 2023, adding that payment of ground rents was provided by extant laws.

“It should be noted that the FCTA made numerous publications in national newspapers and announcements on broadcast media since 2023, calling on defaulters to pay up all outstanding bills and ground rents. All these yielded little response, as several allotees failed to pay.

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