Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister, Nyesom Wike, has directed that the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja and 4793 other properties revoked by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) in March 2025 be sealed on Monday.
This was made known during a press briefing on Friday, by the FCT Minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, Director of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze and Director Department of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima.
Lere said; “ownership of the revoked 4,794 properties in the Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama and Guzape districts, had already reverted to the FCTA, and as from Monday, next week, the government will begin to exercise its rights of ownership on the affected landed properties.
“As usual, this will be done without consideration as to ownership of the affected landed properties. It will be purely in line with extant laws and regulations guiding the process.”
He explained that affected properties will be sealed up and access to them restricted as from Monday. He said the FCTA will decide what to do with the affected properties in due course.
On the claim that some people went to court, the Director of Lands stated that there was no court decision on the revocation, and as such, the FCTA is not restricted in the discharge of its lawful functions on the affected properties.
Nwankwoeze disclosed that the FCTA was already compiling records of compliance and non-compliance of title holders that were in default of payment of Ground Rent for between one and ten years, who were given a grace of 21 Days to pay up.
He said the government will act accordingly as soon as the records are fully complied and analyzed.
The properties to be sealed include the popular Wadata plaza that currently houses the national secretariat of the PDP as well as the new national secretariat at plot Number 243 within Central Area District, Abuja.
Nwankwoeze had clarified that although the property currently occupied by the PDP in Wadata Plaza was among those revoked and to be sealed on Monday, it was not in the name of the PDP.
“The one in Zone 5, where they are currently occupying as their national headquarters, does not belong to PDP. It belongs to Samaila Mamang ofu.
And the revocation notice has been served on him at his Kaduna address – the address on record. We did not serve any such notice on the PDP. The only one we served on them was the one for the central area.You don’t serve a revocation notice on a tenant or an occupier. You serve it on the title holder – that’s what the law says.
Providing the list of others affected by the exercise, the Director said:
“And I want to also mention that we are talking about 4,794 titles. There are so many people who are affected. Government institutions, private organizations, private individuals – the Nigerian Postal Authority is there, the Central Bank of Nigeria is there, NNPC is there, INF is there, the Nigerian Universities Commission is there, NNPC is there, Borno State Government is there, NDDC is there, the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria is there, the Federal Ministry of Environment is there, the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company is there – and so many others.It’s not only PDP.”
Lere recalled that on March 18, 2025, “we informed you of the revocation of 4,794 land titles in the Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama and Guzape districts.
These 4,794 properties were among the total of 8,375 land titles on which Ground Rent was not paid from one year to 43 years.
We did say then that consequent upon the revocation of these titles, ownership of the affected properties have reverted to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA)”
“As from Monday, May 26, 2025, the FCTA will begin to take possession of the affected properties, using relevant agencies of government.” He stressed.
On the grace of 21 Days given to title holders that were in default of payment of Ground Rent for between one and ten years, to pay up or have their land tittles revoked, he said relevant agencies of the FCTA are already compiling records of compliance and non-compliance with this directive, with a view to acting accordingly.
“It is important to state that payment of Ground Rent on landed properties in the FCT is founded on extant legislation. It is clearly stipulated in the terms and conditions of grant of Right of Occupancy, and it is due for payment on the first day of January, each year, without demand.”
Although the PDP is yet to officially react to the threat to seal its Secretariat on Monday, it had, in its immediate reaction to the revocation order, described it as highly condemnable.
The party’s national publicity secretary, Debo Ologunagba, in a brief interview, said that the revocation “is aimed at stifling opposition in this country and of course a drive towards totalitarianism. And it is a threat to democracy.
Ologunagba had confirmed that even the Right if Occupancy of the Wadata plaza that currently houses the party’s national secretariat has also been revoked.
“To let you know, how despicable this action is , it is both properties. Both the new one under construction and the one the PDP has been occupying for almost two decades- the Wadata Plaza. It is an attempt to stifle opposition.”
