Abuja: The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has taken possession of Wadata Plaza, the building serving as the National Secretariat for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), due to 28 years of unpaid ground rent.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the Director of Lands at the FCTA, Mr. Chijoke Nwankwoeze, stated that the action followed the revocation of the property's land title, which was served to the property owner, Sen. Samaila Kurfi, on March 14. The property, located on Plot 1970, Michael Okpara Street, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, was reverted to the FCTA following repeated failures to settle outstanding annual ground rent over nearly three decades.
Nwankwoeze noted that the revocation notice was delivered to Kurfi's registered address in Kaduna. When asked if the PDP had been notified, Nwankwoeze clarified that the FCTA only deals with the rightful property owners recorded in its database, not with tenants.
He further explained that the property was among 4,794 titles revoked in March due to unpaid ground rent totaling 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.
Additionally, Mr. Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, rejected any political interpretation of the action. He emphasized 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 reports that other sealed properties include a Total petrol station, Access Bank, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) office, Ibro Hotel, and Mamuda Group Warehouse, all located in Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.