The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has revoked the PDP's land allocation for its National Secretariat in Abuja's Central Business District. The move comes after the party failed to pay ground rent for over 20 years, despite several reminders. The land now reverts to the FCT Administration.
In a significant move, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, has approved the revocation of the land allocated to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for its new National Secretariat. The land, situated in Abuja's Central Business District, was originally designated for the construction of a multi-level, 12-story building that has remained uncompleted for two decades.
The controversial project, which began in 2008 with an estimated cost of N16 billion, faced delays despite PDP's successful fundraising campaigns that raised over N62 billion from activities like dinners and form sales. However, work on the building stalled, and the PDP failed to fulfill several obligations, including payment of annual ground rent for the land.
A formal letter from the FCT Ministry, dated March 13, 2025, confirmed the revocation. It cited the PDP's failure to pay the ground rent from January 2006 to January 2025, despite multiple public reminders. This breach of the terms and conditions outlined in the original land grant led to the forfeiture of the land, which now reverts to the FCT Administration.
The PDP has yet to respond officially, and it remains unclear how this decision will impact the party’s plans for the national secretariat. However, this move is seen as part of Wike's broader initiative to enforce accountability in land management and property use across the FCT.
The revocation is part of a series of actions by Wike's administration, including the cancellation of over 4,700 land titles in the region due to non-payment of ground rents. Political analysts suggest that this could have significant ramifications for the PDP, especially in the lead-up to upcoming elections and amidst ongoing political tensions in the country.
