The national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), located in Abuja’s Wuse Zone 5, was sealed off on Monday afternoon, May 26, 2025, by officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), as part of an ongoing clampdown on unpaid ground rents in the capital.
The enforcement operation, which began around 2:05 p.m., saw FCTA personnel instruct security operatives on-site to inform the party leadership before restricting access to the premises.
The PDP secretariat was not the only high-profile building affected. Earlier in the day, the FCTA sealed several other properties including the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) headquarters, Access Bank’s main branch, and a Total filling station—all for failure to settle outstanding ground rent liabilities.
These actions are part of a wider campaign targeting 4,794 properties in Abuja’s premium districts. According to FCTA officials, affected property owners had received multiple notices and were given a 21-day grace period after the revocation of their land titles.
The FCTA insists the operation is purely administrative and non-discriminatory, applying to both private and public establishments, regardless of status.
However, the sealing of the PDP’s national secretariat has drawn sharp criticism from the opposition party, which described the action as political harassment by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government.
In response, the FCTA reiterated its impartial stance. Speaking to journalists, the Minister—through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka—stated:
“We are not here for politics. If you’re talking about political witch hunt, we’ve been to Ibro Hotels, Access Bank, FIRS, and Total. Tomorrow, we’ll move on to others. Are all those political too?”
He emphasized that the operation would continue until possession is taken of all over 4,000 listed properties.
Supporting the Minister’s stance, the Director of Lands in the FCTA, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, clarified that the owner of the PDP building, Senator Samaila Mamman Kofi, was duly served a revocation notice.
“Senator Samaila Mamman Kofi received the notice, and for extra caution, we also pasted it at the gate of this building. The property is in his name, and our records show a Kaduna address, which we used,” he said, presenting evidence of the service, dated March 14, 2025.
Responding to claims by the FIRS that it had paid its ground rent, Nwankwoeze countered:
“We keep accurate records. Samaila Mamman Kofi owes 28 years’ worth of ground rent, and the FIRS property is 25 years in default. If they claim to have paid, they should present an official receipt from the Lands Department or FCTA.”
Read also: FCT minister revokes PDP national secretariat land
He further explained that the FIRS does not appear as the registered owner of the property it occupies.
“According to our records, the actual owner is Fortunate Case Limited (name to be confirmed). If FIRS claims ownership, they must formally register their interest with us.”
In addition, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), through its coordinator Emmanuel Onwubiko, criticized the FCTA’s approach.
He said, “Failure to pay ground rent should attract penalties, not outright forfeiture as a first line of action.”
Meanwhile, the development risks disrupting the PDP’s planned National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting and has reignited national discussions around property ownership rights, urban land use, and regulatory enforcement in Nigeria’s capital.
