Details of the owners of some of the 4,794 land titles revoked by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Minister Nyesom Wike have emerged.
The minister, through his aides, said Monday that the land titles were revoked over non-payment of ground rent, in some cases, for more than 40 years.
The affected land title holders, from the new details obtained by Premium Times, include the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Independent National Electoral commission (INEC), Nigeria’s leading opposition party – People’s Democratic Party (PDP) – and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
They also include CONOIL Plc, Borno State Government, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), National Universities Commission (NUC), M.R.S Investment Company Limited (owners of MRS Petrol Stations) and Kaduna State Government.
Others are the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA), News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Federal Ministry of Environment, Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, University of Calabar, Nigerian Postal Service and Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), among others.
A source, who has been fully briefed on the matter but has no permission to discuss the details with the media, told Premium Times, asking not to be named, that most of the big names affected were owing more than 20 years ground rent.
On Monday, the FCT minister’s office announced the revocation of 4,794 land titles, over non-payment of ground rent, for more than 40 years.
The minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, and the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Director of Lands, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, made the announcement during a press briefing in Abuja.
But, while reacting over the development, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba described the attemptby the All Progressives Congress government to revoke the Right of Occupancy of the National Secretariat of the PDP as a threat to democracy and an attempt to stifle the opposition in the country.
According to him, “f course, this is a drive towards totalitarianism. And it is a threat to democracy. The NWC is in meeting and I will get back to you shortly with a detailed response of our party to this development.
“To let you know, how despicable this action is, it’s both properties. Both the new one under construction and the one the PDP has been occupying for almost two decades – the Wadata Plaza. It is an attempt to stifle opposition.”