PDP condemns revocation of National Secretariat, calls it attack on opposition

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly criticized the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) over the revocation of the Right of Occupancy (RofO) for its national secretariat, describing the move as an attempt to suppress opposition parties in Nigeria.

Speaking on the development in a telephone interview on Tuesday in Abuja, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, labeled the action as a “threat to democracy.”

AFRIPOST had reported yesterday that the land was revoked by the FCT Minister.

However, he condemned the decision by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration, arguing that it was a deliberate move to weaken the opposition and push the country towards totalitarian rule.

“The attempt to revoke the Right of Occupancy for the PDP’s national secretariat is unacceptable. It is clearly targeted at stifling opposition and poses a serious threat to democracy,” Ologunagba stated.

According to him, the revocation affects both the current party headquarters at Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, and the incomplete 11-storey permanent secretariat in the Central Business District of Abuja.

“The National Working Committee (NWC) is currently in a meeting, and we will soon release a detailed response. However, it is important to highlight how troubling this situation is. Both the ongoing construction project and the Wadata Plaza, which has served as our headquarters for nearly two decades, have been affected. This is a clear attempt to silence the opposition,” he added.

The FCTA, led by Minister Nyesom Wike, revoked the land allocation for the PDP’s national secretariat over claims that the party failed to pay ground rent for 20 years.

A notice of revocation, dated March 13, 2025, was sent to the PDP National Chairman by the FCTA’s Department of Land Administration.

The letter, signed by Director of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, stated that the party’s rights and interests in Plot No. 243, Central Area, Cadastral Zone A00, Abuja, had been withdrawn.

The letter cited Section 28, Subsection 5 (a) and (b) of the Land Use Act, explaining that the PDP had defaulted on payments from January 1, 2006, to January 1, 2025, despite multiple public notices urging landowners to clear outstanding debts.

The 11-storey PDP secretariat project, initially estimated at N16 billion, has remained unfinished since construction began in 2008, despite fundraising efforts.

Several past PDP national chairmen, including Uche Secondus and Iyorchia Ayu, had promised to complete the structure but failed to do so. Ayu, during a visit to the project site in January 2022, pledged to see it through but was later suspended from the party in 2023 before fulfilling his promise.