By Philip Yatai
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has taken possession of Wadata Plaza, the building used by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as its National Secretariat, due to 28 years of unpaid ground rent.
Director of Lands at the FCTA, Mr Chijoke Nwankwoeze, said the action followed the revocation of the property’s land title, which was formally served on the property owner, Sen. Samaila Kofi, on March 14.
Nwankwoeze explained that the property, located on Plot 1970, Michael Okpara Street, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, was officially reverted to the FCTA after repeated failure to settle outstanding annual ground rent spanning nearly three decades.
He noted that the revocation notice was properly delivered to Kofi’s registered address in Kaduna.
When asked whether the PDP had been notified, Nwankwoeze clarified that the FCTA did not deal with tenants, but only with the rightful property owners recorded in its database.
The property, he said, was among 4,794 titles revoked in March due to unpaid ground rent totalling more than N6 billion.
“The PDP property is the sixth to be sealed so far. This enforcement exercise will continue until all revoked properties are addressed,” he added.
Also speaking, Mr Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, rejected any political interpretation of the action.
He emphasised that the operation was purely administrative and conducted in line with the provisions of the Land Use Act.
“This is not a political witch-hunt. It’s an enforcement of land administration regulations,” Olayinka said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that other sealed properties include a Total petrol station, Access Bank, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) office, Ibro Hotel, and Mabuda Company Warehouse, all located in Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.(NAN)
