The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has strongly criticized the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over its failure to pay ground rent on its national headquarters in Abuja, despite ruling the country for years.
The PDP’s Wadata Plaza, located in Wuse Zone 5, was sealed by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) as part of an enforcement action targeting 4,794 properties with revoked land titles due to non-payment of ground rent spanning 10 to 43 years. The move has sparked political debate, with some PDP members expressing dismay over the timing of the action, which occurred just before a scheduled National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.
Wike, a former PDP governor of Rivers State, has been vocal about the party’s financial mismanagement, arguing that the PDP should have fulfilled its obligations while in power. Some party leaders, including Bode George, have criticized Wike’s role in the enforcement, suggesting that he should have personally settled the debt to demonstrate loyalty to the party.
The FCTA’s crackdown on land rent defaulters has affected several high-profile entities, including government institutions, corporate organizations, and individuals. President Bola Tinubu has since intervened, granting defaulters a 14-day grace period to settle outstanding payments and penalties.