FCTA Seals PDP Secretariat, FIRS Office, Others Over Unpaid Ground Rent

THE Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA), on Monday, May 26, sealed the national secretariat of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at Wadata Plaza in Abuja over its failure to pay statutory ground rent for several years.
The Authority also sealed an Access Bank branch and a Total petrol station in Zone 6, Wuse, over non-payment of ground rent spanning 34 years.
The enforcement officials from the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), backed by a joint task force of armed military, Lolice, Civil Defence personnel and vehicle inspection officers, upon arrival at the secretariat, were initially resisted by party staff, who locked the main gate to prevent access from outside.
This forced the enforcement team to chained the gate and pasted a seal notice: ‘This property is now owned by FCTA. 26-5-25.’
An agreement was later reached to allow staff inside the premises to leave with their personal belongings and vehicles, thereby disrupting the Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting, scheduled for 3 p.m.
The party’s caucus reportedly held an emergency meeting at the Bauchi State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja, the outcome of while had not been made public at press time.
The property occupied by Access Bank was officially allocated to Rana Tahir Furniture Nigeria Limited, and a letter, dated March 13, 2025, signed by the Director of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, stated: “The Minister of Federal Capital Territory has, in the exercise of powers conferred on him under the Land Use Act No. 6 of 1978, Cap. L5, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, revoked your rights, interests and privileges over Plot No. 2456 within Wuse I, Cadastral Zone A02, Abuja.”
The letter explained: “The revocation is in view of your continued contravention of the terms and conditions of grant of the Right of Occupancy by failing to pay the annual ground rents due on the property for Thirty-Four (34) years.”
FCTA also shut down the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) office in Abuja for similar violations and as part of a larger enforcement campaign targeting defaulting property owners across the territory.
It was gathered that several notices and publications had been issued since 2023, warning allottees to clear outstanding ground rent obligations or face the consequences.