The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has officially revoked the land title of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Secretariat in Abuja over non-payment of ground rent for the past 20 years.
The revocation was communicated in an official 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.” The letter was signed by the Director of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze.
Grounds for Revocation
According to the notice, the PDP failed to pay the required annual ground rent from January 1, 2006, to January 1, 2025. This non-compliance persisted despite repeated public warnings issued by the FCT Administration through various national newspapers and electronic media since 2023.
The letter read in part:
“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.”
The notice further stated that PDP’s failure to meet the financial obligations associated with the property contravened Section 28, Subsection 5 (a) and (b) of the Land Use Act.
Immediate Takeover of the Property
The minister directed that the FCT Administration take immediate possession of the PDP National Secretariat property until all outstanding bills are fully settled. This means that the opposition party could lose access to its headquarters unless urgent steps are taken to resolve the issue.
FCTA’s Wider Crackdown on Land Defaulters
This move is part of a larger crackdown on property owners who have defaulted on their ground rent payments in the FCT. In October 2024, Wike had announced the revocation of 4,794 land titles due to outstanding ground rent payments totaling ₦6.9 billion.
A statement by Wike’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, noted that a total of 8,375 property owners in Abuja’s highbrow areas (Central Area, Wuse, Garki, Asokoro, Maitama, and Guzape) had failed to pay ground rent for over 43 years.
According to Olayinka, the revocation of properties followed multiple publications and media announcements since 2023, warning defaulters to clear their outstanding bills.
“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 allottees failed to pay.”
He further emphasized that payment of ground rent is a legal obligation under the terms of the Right of Occupancy and is due on the 1st of January each year.
Political Implications
The revocation of the PDP Secretariat land is expected to generate political tension, particularly as Nyesom Wike, a former PDP governor of Rivers State, now serves under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) government. The move could be perceived as politically motivated, given Wike’s ongoing rift with PDP leadership following his fallout with the party in the 2023 general elections.
Political analysts suggest that the PDP may challenge the revocation in court or seek a negotiated settlement to reclaim the property.
What’s Next for PDP?
With the immediate revocation, the PDP now faces two options:
- Pay the outstanding ground rent to reclaim ownership of its secretariat.
- Seek legal redress if it believes the revocation was unjust.
The coming weeks will determine whether the PDP negotiates with the FCT Administration or moves to challenge the decision in court.
The revocation of the PDP National Secretariat land is a significant development that highlights the strict enforcement of land regulations under Wike’s administration.
While the FCTA argues that the move is based purely on financial default, the political undertones of this decision cannot be ignored.
The PDP’s next course of action will determine whether the opposition party can regain control of its headquarters or be forced to seek a new location.
