Politics Unpaid Ground Rent: President Tinubu pleads for PDP as Wike issues 14-day ultimatum for payment

Defaulters on FCT ground rent now have 14 days grace to pay up what they owe the FCT Administration with associated penalties following the intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Recalled that the FCTA had today, May 26, 2025, commenced enforcement on the 4,794 properties revoked for non-payment of Ground Rent, from 10 to 43 years.

Addressing newsmen, the Director, Land Administration, Mr. Chijioke Nwankwoeze said: “For properties in the Central Area, the sum of N5 million will be paid by the defaulters as penalty, in addition to the Ground Rent owed.

“Those in Maitama, Asokoro, Wuse II, and Guzape Districts will pay the sum of N3 million as penalty, in addition to the Ground Rent owed while defaulters in Wuse I, Garki I and Garki II will pay N2 million as penalty in addition to the Ground Rent owed”.

The opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Wadata House was among the ground rent defaulters and was sealed on MOnday, but President Bola Tinubu magnanimously pleaded that defaulters be given more opportunity to pay to pay up their debt.

Mr. Nwankwoeze added that, “All those who purchased properties from other people, but are yet to register their interests by obtaining the mandatory Minister’s Consent and registering their Deeds of Assignment now have 14 days (TWO WEEKS) to do so at the FCT Department of Land Administration.

He said, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, CON, has also granted a 14 days (TWO WEEKS) grace period to all property holders in the FCT to pay up their Right of Occupancy (R-of-O)/Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) bills, or risk revocation of those titles.

According to the Director, the Minister has advised property owners in the FCT to ensure that they pay all necessary bills and charges on their properties as at when due, to enable the government to continue to carry out essential developmental projects for the benefit of the people.

Earlier in the day, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) began the taking over of properties whose land titles were revoked in March 2025 due to non-payment of ground rent, spanning 10 to 43 years, by sealing off eight of the 4794 properties in Abuja.

Among the first to be sealed were properties occupied by high profile institutions, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Access Bank Plc and Total Petrol station, among others in the Cadastral Zone A02 (Wuse Zone 5), Abuja

Addressing journalists during the exercise, the Director of Development Control, Town planner Mukhtar Galadima, stated that the exercise was in compliance with earlier pronouncements to take over revoked properties. He confirmed that the process will continue in Wuse District before moving to the Central Business District. However, the intervention by President Tinubu has given the property owners a 14-day grace period to pay up charges owed.

Providing details on the properties affected, the Director Land Administration, Mr. Chijioke Nwankwaoeze, said the property at Wuse Zone 5 Wadata Plaza, while occupied by the PDP, actually belongs to Senator Samaila Mamman Kurfi, who owes 28 years of unpaid ground rent. He said the FCTA only deals with the property owner, not the occupant, and had duly served revocation notices to Senator Kurfi.

According to him, “Samaila Kurfi is the owner of the property and the address we have on record for him is that of Kaduna and we duly served him. We have a copy of the revocation notice and the evidence of service served since the 14th of March 2025. If you are talking of writing to PDP, we don’t normally write to tenants or occupants. We write to the owners of the property, that is the person with whom we have the contract” he said.

On the property occupied by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), he said this property, according to FCTA records, is owned by Fortunate Trace Limited, not FIRS, and has 34 years of unpaid ground rent. He dismissed the FIRS’s claim of ownership saying it was not properly registered in their interest.

The Director also explained that the property occupied by Access Bank Plc at Plot 456, Wuse I, Cadastral Zone A02, is owned by a private limited liability company and has accumulated 34 years of unpaid ground rent.

He emphasized that the FCTA keeps meticulous records of payments and challenged any claims of payment without corresponding receipts from the Lands Department.

“We keep every records. In the case of the Wadata Plaza, we are talking of 28 year of unpaid ground rent. The owner of this property, Senator Samaila Mamman Kurfi was owing 28 years ground rent and then FIRS, 34 years. So, we keep property records. When you pay your ground rent, you will have to be issued with receipt of payment”, he said.

Regarding the possibility of reversing the revocations upon payment of outstanding ground rents, the Director of Land stated that as of now, the FCTA has taken physical possession of the properties, and any further decisions would be at the discretion of the FCT Minister.

He said, “We have just taken physical possession of the property. Any other thing that will happen will have to be determined in due course. We will not be here to tell you what will happen tomorrow. …It will be up to them to approach the Hon. Minister of the FCT. If they approach him and he gives them any consideration, that’s it. The Minister will decide that”.

The Director stressed that properties owned by government institutions, corporate organisations, and individuals were affected, which, he said, demonstrates the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s commitment to carrying out its functions without fear or favour.

Source: Capitalpost.ng