The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has criticized the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for failing to pay a N7.6 million ground rent on its National Secretariat land in Abuja, despite generating N33 billion from the sale of party forms.

Speaking in Abuja on Friday while hosting officials of the Body of Benchers, led by Chairman Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), Wike dismissed PDP’s claim that the revocation of its land title was politically motivated. He clarified that the decision was part of a broader action that affected 4,794 land titles including those of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) due to over a decade of unpaid ground rent.

Wike also revealed that the Wadata Plaza, which serves as PDP’s National Secretariat, is registered under a Senator living in Abuja rather than the party itself. He criticized attempts to link the revocation to political suppression, saying, “Maybe they had a deal with the man and did not complete the deed of assignment, and now they are shouting that Wike was sent to revoke the land to kill opposition. What kind of mentality is that?”

He further stated that while the CBN had pleaded for a reversal of its revoked land title, he insisted that outstanding ground rent must be paid before reconsideration.

Additionally, Wike urged the Body of Benchers to ensure they settle their own land payments, warning that no defaulting allottee whether individual, corporate, or governmental would be exempt.