A heated exchange erupted on Thursday between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and Senator Ireti Kingibe, over the recent sealing of properties in Abuja due to unpaid ground rent.
Senator Kingibe, who represents the FCT in the Senate, condemned the enforcement action, describing it as unconstitutional and heavy-handed. In a statement issued on May 26, 2025, and posted on her official X (formerly Twitter) account, she criticized the mass closure of buildings—including major institutions like the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Secretariat and Access Bank—as a violation of the rights of residents and businesses.
Wike’s camp swiftly responded through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, who dismissed Kingibe’s claims and accused her of displaying “ridiculous ignorance” of the Land Use Act.
“It is embarrassingly ignorant for a serving senator to be unaware of the provisions of Section 28 of the Land Use Act,” Olayinka stated. “Ground rent is a legal obligation tied to land ownership. Failure to pay it—whether for 10, 20, or even 43 years—cannot be excused.”
He alleged that Kingibe’s opposition was politically driven, urging her to “purge herself of hatred for Wike” rather than defending defaulters under the pretense of legality.
Senator Kingibe, however, stood by her position. While acknowledging the importance of ground rent enforcement, she argued that the FCT Administration’s approach—sealing properties without proper legal procedure—was unlawful.
Quoting both the Land Use Act and the Urban and Regional Planning Act, she asserted that penalties for ground rent default are typically fines or surcharges, not the arbitrary closure of buildings. “No Nigerian’s property can be lawfully sealed or seized solely for ground rent default,” she said, calling the administration’s actions “indiscriminate” and “insensitive,” especially given the current economic challenges.
Kingibe also warned that such actions could erode public trust and deepen the financial strain on FCT residents. She pledged to introduce legislative measures to ensure that enforcement of land obligations follows due process.
Olayinka, in response, accused Kingibe of selectively interpreting the law and insisted that non-payment of ground rent constitutes a breach of the Certificate of Occupancy—grounds, he argued, for revocation under the law.
“Would Senator Kingibe, if she were FCT Minister, simply look the other way while landowners refuse to pay their dues for decades?” he asked.
The confrontation comes despite President Bola Tinubu’s recent intervention, which granted property owners a 14-day grace period to settle outstanding payments—a move that temporarily paused further enforcement actions.
As the dispute highlights growing tensions over public policy in the capital, Senator Kingibe urged Abuja residents to remain calm and law-abiding. “We are committed to ensuring that dialogue, justice, and due process prevail,” she assured.
