…Party’s Tuesday NEC meeting at risk

With just days to a pivotal National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faces a fresh political storm as the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) prepares to take possession of its national secretariat in Abuja over decades-long Ground Rent defaults.

The FCTA, on Friday, confirmed that it will begin enforcement of revocation orders affecting 4,794 properties across high-value districts of the capital, including the PDP headquarters, on Monday, May 26, 2025.

The move follows the expiration of a 21-day grace period given to defaulting property owners to pay their debts, some of which date back 43 years.

The total outstanding ground rent stands at ₦6.9 billion, according to FCTA officials.

If carried out, the action could force the PDP to relocate or suspend its NEC meeting scheduled for Tuesday, potentially intensifying its internal leadership crisis.

The party is already grappling with factional divisions and strained loyalties.

The looming seizure of the party’s secretariat has sparked allegations of political sabotage.

The PDP has reacted with suspicion.

When contacted, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, stated tersely: “We will deal with it on Monday,” signaling possible legal action or political resistance.

Insiders say the timing of the revocation – coming on the eve of a major PDP leadership meeting – raises red flags.

The NEC gathering is expected to deliberate on key issues, including party restructuring, zoning for the 2027 general elections, and the role of dissenting figures in the future of the party.

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Observers warn that the situation could escalate tensions between the opposition party and the APC-led federal government, especially as Nigeria edges closer to another high-stakes electoral cycle.

For many within the PDP, eviction from the secretariat is more than a bureaucratic measure – it is a symbolic and strategic blow.

Action not politically motivated —FCTA

At a press briefing on Friday, FCTA officials insisted that the move was not politically motivated.

Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications to the minister, said the planned enforcement would follow “extant laws and regulations” and apply uniformly to all affected properties, regardless of their ownership.

“From Monday, the FCTA will begin exercising its legal rights over these revoked titles. This includes sealing off the properties and restricting access,” Olayinka said.

Director of Land Administration Chijioke Nwankwoeze added that there was no subsisting court order restraining the administration from proceeding with the exercise.

He also clarified that the revocation is backed by the Land Use Act -specifically, Section 28(5)(a) and (b)—which permits the government to revoke land titles due to violations, including failure to pay statutory ground rents.

“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,” the FCTA said.

FCTA’s Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, explained that affected properties will be sealed off and access to them restricted as from Monday.

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He said the FCTA will decide what to do with the affected properties in due course.

On the claim that some people went to court, the Director of Lands, Nwankwoeze, stated that there was no court decision on the revocation, and as such, the FCTA is not restricted in the discharge of its lawful functions on the affected properties.

He also disclosed that the FCTA was already compiling records of compliance and non-compliance of title holders that were in default of payment of Ground Rent for between one and 10 years, who were given a grace of 21 days to pay up.

He said the government will act accordingly as soon as the records are fully compiled and analyzed.

The text of the press briefing reads in part, “Recall that on March 18, 2025, we informed you of the revocation of 4,794 land titles in the Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama and Guzape districts.

“These 4,794 properties were among the total of 8,375 land titles on which Ground Rent was not paid from one year to 43 years.

“We did say then that consequent upon the revocation of these titles, ownership of the affected properties has reverted to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

“As from Monday, May 26, 2025, the FCTA will begin to take possession of the affected properties, using relevant agencies of government.

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

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“Recall too that a grace of 21 days was given to title holders that were in default of payment of Ground Rent for between one and ten years, to pay up or have their land titles revoked.

“Relevant agencies of the FCTA are already compiling records of compliance and non-compliance with this directive, with a view to acting accordingly.

“It is important to state that payment of Ground Rent on landed properties in the FCT is founded on extant legislation. It is clearly stipulated in the terms and conditions of grant of Right of Occupancy, and it is due for payment on the first day of January, each year, without demand.

“In March, this year, list of land titles in default of payment of Ground Rent was compiled in the ten oldest districts of Phase 1 of the Federal Capital City (FCC), namely; Central Area District (Cadastral Zone A00), Garki I (Cadastral Zone A01), Wuse I (Cadastral Zone A02), Garki II (Cadastral Zone A03), Asokoro (Cadastral Zone A04), Maitama (Cadastral Zone A05), Maitama (Cadastral Zone A06), Wuse II (Cadastral Zone A07), Wuse II (Cadastral Zone A08) and Guzape (Cadastral Zone A09).

“In the listed districts, a total of 4,794 land titles were in default of Ground rent payment for 10 years and above. As at then, a total of N6,967,980,119 was being owed as Ground Rent by 8,375 property owners.

“This contravenes the terms and conditions of grant of the Rights of Occupancy, in line with the provisions of Section 28, Subsections 5(a) and (b) of the Land Use Act.

“Consequently, the titles of the properties in default were revoked in March 2025.

“Therefore, from Monday, May 26, 2025, the FCTA will begin to exercise its lawful rights of taking possession of these revoked properties.”
(Tribune)