The Peoples Democratic Party has expressed strong opposition to the recent revocation of the land title for its unfinished national secretariat in the Central Business District of Abuja, as well as the land housing its current office at Wadata Plaza, Wuse 2.
The decision was made by the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike.
A member of the PDP National Working Committee, speaking anonymously due to concerns over potential backlash, alongside the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, and Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, criticized the move. They maintained that the revocation would not stand.
Similarly, Peter Ahmeh, National Secretary of the Coalition for United Political Parties, condemned the action, describing it as a calculated effort by President Bola Tinubu’s administration to suppress the opposition.
After years of paying rent for its Wadata Plaza headquarters, the PDP eventually secured ownership of the property in Wuse Zone 5.
In 2008, the party launched an ambitious project to construct what was meant to be the largest political party headquarters in Africa, situated in the heart of Abuja’s CBD.
However, an investigative report by The PUNCH on April 20, 2024, revealed that the N16 billion project remains incomplete, despite the party generating over N62 billion through fundraising and the sale of nomination forms across four election cycles spanning 16 years.
Since the 2023 general election, the PDP has been entangled in internal strife, with factions forming between Wike and the PDP Governors’ Forum, led by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has largely distanced himself from the party’s ongoing disputes.
Tensions escalated further on March 10, 2025, when the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal by Wike’s ally, Samuel Anyanwu, to retain his position as PDP National Secretary.
The ruling instead upheld Sunday Ude-Okoye as the legitimate occupant of the office.
Amid this turmoil, Wike, a former Rivers State governor, had previously issued warnings that undeveloped properties and those with outstanding ground rent payments risked revocation.
On March 13, 2025, he made good on his threats, officially revoking the land title for the PDP’s national secretariat in Abuja.
The notice of revocation, signed by the Director of Lands Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, was made public on Tuesday.
Titled “Notice of Revocation of Right of Occupancy with File No. MISC 81346 in Respect of Plot No. 243 within Central Area (A00) District, Abuja,” the document came shortly after the FCT Administration announced the revocation of more than 4,700 land titles belonging to defaulters who had failed to pay ground rent for over 40 years.
According to the notice, the PDP’s land was revoked due to non-payment of annual ground rent for nearly two decades, spanning from 2006 to 2025, despite repeated public notices urging defaulters to clear their outstanding debts.
Citing the Land Use Act of 1978, the FCT Administration stated that the property had reverted to the government due to PDP’s failure to uphold the terms of its Right of Occupancy agreement. Authorities also announced immediate plans to take possession of the land.
A source within the PDP NWC disclosed that the party had foreseen this development but was hindered from taking proactive measures due to internal divisions.
“We knew this would happen. Some of us in the NWC had advised the party to act quickly, but others loyal to Wike suggested otherwise, possibly to allow for a justifiable action against the party,” the source revealed.
Reacting to the revocation, PDP National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba condemned the decision, describing it as a direct threat to democracy.
“This attempt by the All Progressives Congress government to revoke the Right of Occupancy of the PDP national secretariat is highly condemnable. It is aimed at stifling opposition in this country and a drive toward totalitarianism. It is a threat to democracy,” he stated.
He further assured that the PDP NWC would soon release a comprehensive statement on the matter.
The party’s Deputy National Youth Leader,Timothy Osadolor, dismissed the revocation as an absurd move, asserting that PDP’s ownership of the property could not be invalidated.
“No one can revoke the ownership of PDP’s property in Nigeria. If there’s an issue with ground rent payments, it’s a matter of resolving the backlog, not seizing the property,” he argued.
He also exonerated Wike, noting that the revocation letter was merely issued by a civil servant executing routine administrative duties rather than a politically motivated attack.
On his part, CUPP’s Peter Ahmeh rebuked the revocation, warning that targeting land allocated to an opposition party was unconstitutional.
“This hostility against the democratic institution of this country should not be allowed to stand. We must defend our democracy,” he stressed.
However, Labour Party spokesperson Obiorah Ifoh countered the claim that the action was politically driven, emphasizing that the decision affected thousands of defaulters across Abuja.
“Over 4,000 properties have not paid their ground rent in the last 20 years. It’s not targeted at any political party or individual. However, political parties must learn to adhere to rules and regulations to avoid such situations,” he remarked.
Ladipo Johnson of the New Nigeria Peoples Party expressed concern over the timing of the revocation.
While acknowledging PDP’s failure to fulfill its financial obligations, he cautioned against any form of political victimization of opposition parties.
