The Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication and New Media to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has made a startling revelation, most members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are unaware that their national headquarters, Wadata Plaza, does not legally belong to the party.
Speaking on Arise Television’s The Morning Show on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, Lere Olayinka admitted that he too only recently discovered this fact. The building, located in Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, has for years been assumed to be the official property of the PDP.
In a controversial move, the FCT Minister, who is also a PDP member, revoked the land title of Wadata Plaza due to the party’s failure to pay ground rent. The revocation also affected the title of the PDP’s unfinished national secretariat in Abuja’s Central Area Business District.
Political Motives or Due Process?
The decision has sparked outrage among PDP leaders, who accuse President Bola Tinubu’s administration of using political tactics to weaken the opposition. They argue that the move is a direct attempt to undermine the party’s influence.
However, justifying the revocation, Olayinka clarified that the property does not legally belong to the PDP. Instead, it is owned by former Senate leader, Senator Samaila Mamman.
“Wadata Plaza does not belong to the PDP. Most members don’t even know this. I only found out two weeks ago,” Olayinka stated.
A Deal That Never Happened
According to Olayinka, the PDP attempted to purchase the building in 2005 and sought approval from then-FCT Minister Nasir El-Rufai. The minister reportedly set a fee of ₦26.9 million for the transaction. However, the PDP, despite being the ruling party at the time, declined to pay the amount.
“The PDP approached Senator Samaila to buy the property in 2005 and wrote to the FCT Minister for consent. The response was clear, they had to pay ₦26.9 million. But PDP Chairman Vincent Ogbulafor argued that the amount was too high. Imagine, a ruling party claiming it didn’t have ₦26 million,” Olayinka recounted.
El-Rufai stood firm, insisting that the party follow due process, a stance that Olayinka compared to Wike’s current actions.
With the land title now revoked, ownership of Wadata Plaza has reverted to Senator Mamman, raising serious questions about the PDP’s administrative and financial management.
