Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has rejected claims made by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the revocation of its land title in the Central Area of Abuja was a political move aimed at suppressing opposition. Wike addressed the allegations during a visit by officials of the Body of Benchers, led by Chairman Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, on Friday in Abuja.
Wike expressed his dismay over the PDP’s claims, explaining that the revocation was not a political action but part of a broader effort to address the failure of land allottees to pay mandatory ground rent. He pointed out that the PDP had not paid the N7.6 million ground rent for its land title in the Central Area, where it was building its National Secretariat. Despite generating substantial income from the sale of party forms—between N13 billion and N20 billion—the PDP had still not paid the required rent.
The minister further clarified that the PDP’s National Secretariat, located at Wadata Plaza, was not registered as the party’s property but was instead under the ownership of a senator living in Abuja. According to Wike, the registered owner had failed to pay ground rent for 28 years, but the PDP continued to claim that the revocation was targeted at its secretariat.
Wike dismissed the PDP’s allegation, questioning their mindset and suggesting that there might have been an unfinished deal between the party and the landowner. He emphasized that the revocation of land titles was not limited to the PDP, as other organizations, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), had also faced similar actions for failing to pay ground rent.
The minister stressed that no land allottee, whether individual or institutional, would be exempt from this policy, urging the Body of Benchers to ensure they paid their ground rent as well.
The revocation of 4,794 land titles, which Wike approved on March 17, 2025, impacted individuals, corporate organizations, and government institutions who had failed to pay their ground rent for over 10 years.