The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has revoked the land title of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Secretariat in Abuja over non-payment of ground rent for two decades.
In a notice dated March 13, 2025, and signed by the Director of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, the FCT Administration cited the party’s failure to settle annual ground rents from January 1, 2006, to January 1, 2025, despite multiple public notices.
The letter, titled “Notice of Right of Occupancy with File No: MISC 81346 in Respect of Plot No: 243 Within Central Area District, Abuja,” stated that the revocation was executed under the powers conferred by the Land Use Act No. 6 of 1978, Cap. L5, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
“The revocation is in view of your continued contravention of the terms and conditions of the Right of Occupancy by failing to pay the annual ground rents due on the property for twenty (20) years. This is despite several publications by the FCT Administration since 2023, urging all allottees to clear outstanding bills and ground rents,” the notice read.
The minister also directed the FCTA to take immediate possession of the PDP secretariat until all outstanding dues are cleared.
This move follows Wike’s earlier revocation of 4,794 land titles across the FCT due to unpaid ground rent, amounting to approximately N6.9 billion in liabilities spanning over 40 years. According to the FCT Administration, 8,375 property owners in key districts such as Central Area, Garki, Wuse, Asokoro, Maitama, and Guzape have failed to fulfill their financial obligations.
The FCTA emphasized that the payment of ground rent is a legal requirement under extant laws and must be fulfilled annually. Despite multiple notices since 2023, many allottees failed to comply, leading to enforcement actions.
With this latest revocation, the PDP faces a major challenge in reclaiming its Abuja secretariat unless it settles its outstanding financial obligations.
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