Wike Denies PDP Land Revocation is Politically Motivated, Affects INEC, CBN –

Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has denied claims that the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) land title revocation was a ploy to suppress opposition. Wike explained that the revocation was due to the PDP’s failure to pay the mandatory N7.6 million ground rent for over 10 years [1].
The PDP had alleged that Wike was instructed to revoke their land title in Central Area, Abuja, to stifle opposition. However, Wike pointed out that the party had generated between N13 billion and N20 billion through the sale of party forms but failed to pay the ground rent
Wike also noted that the Wadata Plaza, where the PDP’s National Secretariat is located, was not registered as a property of the party but was instead registered under a Senator residing in Abuja. The registered owner had failed to pay the ground rent for 28 years.
The land revocation affects not only the PDP but also other institutions, such as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), as well as individuals. Wike had approved the revocation of 4,794 land titles on March 17, 2025, due to non-payment of ground rent for over 10 years.
Wike emphasized that the revocation was not peculiar to the PDP and that all defaulting land allottees would be treated equally. He advised the Body of Benchers to ensure they paid their ground rent to avoid revocation.