The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Nyesom Wike, has firmly rejected the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) allegations that the revocation of its land title was a political maneuver aimed at suppressing the opposition.
Wike made this statement during a visit by the Body of Benchers, headed by Chairman Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, in Abuja on Friday.
Wike, also a life bencher, expressed disappointment over the PDP’s claims that he had been instructed to revoke its land title in Central Area, Abuja, in an attempt to stifle opposition.
He clarified that political, religious, and ethnic motives were often wrongfully associated with executive actions, leading to misinterpretation of routine administrative decisions.
The minister explained that the revocation of land titles was a standard procedure for landowners who had not paid their mandatory ground rent for over 10 years and should not be seen as a politically motivated action. He highlighted that despite being in power for years, the PDP had not paid the N7.6 million ground rent on its land in Central Area, where its National Secretariat is under construction.
Although the PDP had reportedly raised significant funds from party form sales, estimated between N13 billion and N20 billion, it still failed to settle the rent. Wike also revealed that the Wadata Plaza, the site of the PDP’s National Secretariat, was not registered under the party’s name but under the ownership of a senator based in Abuja.
Further pointing out that the senator had neglected to pay the ground rent for 28 years, Wike questioned the rationale behind the PDP’s accusations, suggesting that the party may not have completed the required documentation with the senator.
Wike also emphasized that the land revocation was not aimed solely at the PDP. He noted that other institutions, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), had their land titles revoked for similar reasons. He added that CBN had requested a reversal of the revocation but was advised to clear the outstanding ground rent first.
In closing, Wike urged the Body of Benchers to ensure they paid their ground rent, warning that no land allottee in arrears would be exempt.
On March 17, 2025, Wike approved the revocation of 4,794 land titles across individuals, corporate bodies, and government agencies due to unpaid ground rent spanning over a decade.
(NAN)
