Breaking…FCTA seals PDP national secretariat over ground rent debt

In a surprising development that sent political shockwaves across the capital, the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Wuse, Abuja, was sealed off on Monday afternoon by officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

The operation, which occurred around 2:05 p.m., saw FCTA enforcement officers arrive at the premises and instruct security personnel on-site to contact the party’s management for further directives. Eyewitnesses reported a calm but firm takeover of the facility.

According to insider reports, the action is part of a wider crackdown initiated by FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to recover public revenue from long-standing defaulters. Properties with unpaid ground rent liabilities stretching from 10 to 43 years are reportedly being targeted in the ongoing operation.

The FCTA had earlier announced that it would begin taking possession of such properties from Monday, targeting both individuals and organizations that failed to comply with statutory land charges.

This newspaper further reports that the land on which the permanent headquarters of the major opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is located in Abuja is one of the affected lands as it was earlier revoked in March over non-payment of ground rend many years. Wike is an official member of the PDP.

This was made known during a press briefing on Friday by the FCT Minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka; Director of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, and Director, Department of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima.

They said; “ownership of the revoked 4,794 properties in the Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama and Guzape districts, had already reverted to the FCTA, and as from Monday, next week, the government will begin to exercise its rights of ownership on the affected landed properties.

“As usual, this will be done without consideration as to ownership of the affected landed properties. It will be purely in line with extant laws and regulations guiding the process.”

More details to follow…