The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Monday carried out its threat to seal Wadata Plaza, the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), over the party’s failure to settle ground rent dues accumulated for more than 25 years.
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The enforcement action comes after repeated notices were reportedly ignored by the PDP, prompting the FCTA to take decisive steps in recovering outstanding liabilities.
Eyewitnesses reported that FCTA officials arrived without prior notice, requested to speak with the management, and proceeded to seal the premises before any official engagement could take place.
The action triggered mild protests from PDP staff and supporters, prompting a brief negotiation. Officials temporarily reopened the gates to allow workers to retrieve vehicles and personal items before resealing the building.
The incident has drawn widespread attention, particularly as the PDP had scheduled a series of high-level meetings at the secretariat, including National Caucus and Board of Trustees (BoT) sessions, ahead of a critical National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Tuesday.
The NEC gathering is expected to address internal leadership tensions, chart a course for upcoming elections, and potentially tackle unresolved disputes involving high-profile members—including Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike.
Sources within the party allege that the sealing was a deliberate attempt to disrupt party operations and undermine cohesion at a pivotal moment.
Some see it as a politically charged move tied to Wike, who has had a long-standing rift with the PDP national leadership following the 2023 presidential primaries and his growing ties with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Despite these claims, the FCTA insists the enforcement is part of a broader citywide crackdown on property owners defaulting on ground rent obligations.
Last week, the administration revealed plans to reclaim nearly 4,800 properties across Abuja, some of which have reportedly failed to remit payments for decades.
During a Friday press briefing, top FCTA officials including Director of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze; Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima; and FCT Minister’s media aide, Lere Olayinka—stated that enforcement would begin on Monday without exceptions.
“The ownership of the revoked properties has reverted to the FCTA, and we will begin to exercise our rights as guided by law,” Galadima said, while Nwankwoeze added that affected parties had been given adequate notice and that no legal injunction prevented the administration from acting.
Nonetheless, political observers argue that the optics of sealing the PDP secretariat on the eve of such a crucial meeting could be seen as a calculated show of force—particularly given Wike’s role in the FCT and his fraught relationship with the party.
With the NEC meeting likely to proceed at an alternate venue, the secretariat’s closure is expected to dominate internal deliberations, exposing deeper fractures within the PDP and reigniting debate about political neutrality within FCTA institutions.
 on Monday carried out its threat to seal Wadata Plaza, the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), over the party’s failure to settle ground rent dues accumulated for more than 25 years.){kind=link}