UPDATED: PDP headquarters sealed by FCTA over unpaid ground rent

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

 

The national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja’s Wuse Zone 5 district was sealed off by officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Monday afternoon, May 26, 2025, as part of a sweeping clampdown on unpaid ground rent.

The enforcement, which took place at approximately 2:05 p.m., saw FCTA personnel instruct security on site to alert the party’s leadership before restricting access to the building.

The action at the PDP secretariat was the culmination of a series of coordinated operations that began earlier in the day, with FCTA officials also sealing the headquarters of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the main branch of Access Bank, and a Total filling station—all for non-payment of ground rent.

The crackdown is part of a broader campaign targeting 4,794 properties across Abuja’s high-value districts, following repeated notices and a 21-day grace period after the revocation of land titles.

FCTA officials insist the enforcement is strictly administrative and applies equally to all defaulters, including government agencies, banks, and private businesses.

However, the sealing of the PDP headquarters has drawn sharp allegations from the opposition party, which accuses the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government of political intimidation.

The FCTA maintains that its actions are non-partisan and in strict compliance with existing laws.

The development threatens to disrupt the PDP’s scheduled National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting and has sparked renewed debate about property ownership and regulatory compliance in the nation’s capital.