- Safiu Kehinde
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has announced the final take takeover of the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) amongst other properties over unpaid ground rent amounting to a staggering N6.96 billion.
This was made known during a joint press conference held by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) in Abuja on Friday.
Represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications, Lere Olayinka, announced that the takeover enforcement will begin Monday, May 26, 2025.
Also present at the press conference were the Director of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, and the Director of Development Control, Mr. Mukhtar Galadima.
According to the FCTA officials, the PDP national headquarters currently under construction in the Central Business District (CBD) is among other 4,794 properties which land title were revoked due to long-standing ground rent defaults, some going back as far as 43 years.
The officials declared that all affected properties in high-value districts including Garki I & II, Wuse I & II, Maitama, Asokoro, Guzape, and the Central Area have now legally reverted to government ownership.
According to report, they emphasized that the FCT Administration will, starting Monday, begin exercising full rights of ownership over the seized properties without regard to previous ownership or political affiliations.
“This process will be guided strictly by existing laws and regulations, especially Section 28(5)(a)(b) of the Land Use Act, which empowers the government to revoke land where the terms of occupancy are breached,” the FCTA clarified.