The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed allegations by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the revocation of its land title was politically motivated to suppress opposition.
Speaking in Abuja on Friday during a visit by officials of the Body of Benchers, led by Chairman Adegboyega Awomolo, Wike expressed disappointment over the PDP’s claims.
He clarified that the decision was based solely on the non-payment of mandatory ground rent and had no political undertones.
“Political, religious, and ethnic sentiments are often attached to executive decisions, leading to misinterpretations,” Wike stated.
He explained that land titles of allottees who had failed to pay rent for over 10 years were revoked, including that of the PDP.
Despite being in power for years and generating between N13 billion and N20 billion from the sale of party forms, Wike said the PDP had not paid the N7.6 million ground rent for its land in the Central Area of Abuja.
He further revealed that Wadata Plaza, the PDP’s National Secretariat, was not even registered in the party’s name but under a senator residing in Abuja, who had also failed to pay ground rent for 28 years.
“Maybe they had a deal with the man and did not complete the deed of assignment, and now they are shouting that Wike was sent to revoke the land as a ploy to kill the opposition. What kind of mentality is that?” Wike asked.
The minister emphasized that the PDP was not singled out, as institutions such as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) also lost land titles for the same reason.
He disclosed that while the CBN had pleaded for a reversal, he insisted the bank must first settle its outstanding ground rent.
Wike also urged the Body of Benchers to ensure compliance with financial obligations, warning that no defaulting allottee would be spared.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Wike approved the revocation of 4,794 land titles on March 17, 2025, affecting individuals, corporate organizations, and government institutions due to non-payment of ground rent for over a decade.
