Wike Orders Revocation Of FCT Plots Of Land

Wike orders revocation of FCT plots of land as Buhari denies ownership of plots revoked by FCTA

Former Rivers State Governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Nyesom Wike has ordered revocation of 762 plots.

FCT minister Nyesom Wike assumed office as minister in August 2023. A few days later, in September, he made a declaration on revocation of ownership of plots in Abuja.

These revoked plots of lands are said to be owned by prominent Nigerians over their failure to secure Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) within the given two-week period.

Two weeks ago, we can recall that the FCT minister issued two-week ultimatum for them to pay for their Right of Occupancy or face losing their land.

Wike Orders Revocation Of FCT Plots Of Land

Wike also vows to withdraw the Rights of Occupancy (R-of-O) from some individuals and cooperate organizations if they will not pay bills owned on their plots within two weeks.

These plots of land are said to be in well-developed area in Maitama 1 District of Federal Capital Territory.

Previously, the Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA) issued two-separate notice to the said occupants of the property, amongst whom are the president.

Those affected by the revocation are, as per the notice, are Muhammadu Buhari Trust Foundation owned by former President Muhammadu Buhari, former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, Secretary to his Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, and his wife, Regina.

Affected others are former Governors Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, Ben Ayade of Cross River, Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa, Shaaba Lafiagi of Kwara, Ahmad Sani of Zamfara and Kabiru Gaya of Kano.

Both serving and former legislators affected by the revocations are Enyinnaya Abaribe, Abdul Ningi, Sunday Karimi, Abdulfatai Buhari, Dino Melaye, Barnabas Gemade, Shehu Sani, Adeyemi Adaramodu, Abba Moro, Danjuma La’ah and Abdulmumin Jibrin. Agom Jarigbe, Obinna Chidoka, Nicholas Mutu, Dan Reneiju, Ezenwa Oyewuchi, Chinyere Igwe, David Umaru, Oluwole Oke and Oker Jev.

The notice reads: “The Federal Capital Territory Administration wishes to inform the allottee (s)/title holder (s) of plots of land in Maitama 1 who have failed to make payment for their Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) bills after the expiration of grace period granted by the Honorable Minister, Federal Capital Territory that their Right of Occupancy to the land/property have been withdrawn, pursuant to the provisions of Section 28 of the Land Use Act of 1978 for contravention of the terms of grant which obligated the title/interest holders to settle all bills.”

Section 28 of the Land Use Act, to which the FCTA notice referred, stipulates how landed properties vested in individuals can be revoked by authorities.

Subsection Five (5) empowers state governors (the Minister of the FCT in the case of Abuja) to revoke a statutory right of occupancy on the ground of- (a) a breach of any of the provisions which a certificate of occupancy is by section 10 of this Act deemed to contain; (b) a breach of any term contained in the certificate of occupancy or in any special contract made under section 8 of this Act.

Therefore, the failure to pay statutory fees by landowners are deemed violations for which allocated plots can be revoked.

Lawmakers Affected by Wike’s Revocation Order

Former Peoples Democratic Party’s national (PDP) Iyorcha Ayu and Ameh Ebute−both who are former Presidents of the Nigerian Senates in the Third Republic−are asked to settle their owned bills or risk losing ownership of the plots.

Wike Orders Revocation Of FCT Plots Of Land

Former lawmakers who also appear on the list are the Chief Whip of the Senate, Tahir Monguno, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chibudom Nwuche, former Senate Leader, Teslim Folarin, Nnenna Ukeje, Obinna Chidoka, Dapo Lam-Adesina, Leo Ogor, Francis Alimkhena, Smart Adeyemi and Lynda Ikpeazu.

Still on the list of affected occupants are Andy Uba, Biodun Olujimi, Agom Jarigbe, Kingsley Chinda, and Ben Obi.

Former Ebonyi State Governor, Sam Egwu, former Minister of Aviation, Stella Ofuah and the incumbent Deputy Governor of Edo State Dennis Idahosa, were also warned of revocation.

Mr. Egwu who happens to be also a former minister of education and senator while Ms. Oduah represented Anambra North in the upper chamber.

Mr. Idahosa, who is now the Deputy Governor of Edo State before Edo Governorship Election, was still a member of the House of Representatives last month before his inauguration.

According to the notice: “The Federal Capital Territory Administration hereby informs the general public, particularly allotee (s)/title holder (s) of land in the Maitama 1 District of the FCT who have since made payment of their outstanding Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) bills to as a matter of urgency pay the balance of their bills within two weeks from the date of this publication or have their Rights of Occupancy (R-of-O) titles withdrawn.”

Notice released, on Thursday, the FCT’s Permanent Secretary Olusade Adesola indicated the FCTA revoked the ownership right of the land because the owners did not develop them.

Prominent Nigerians affected by the revocation are the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Peter Obi; a former governor of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke; a former Minister of National Planning, Udo Udoma; a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Ufot Ekaette; a former Edo North senator, Victor Oyofo; and the late publisher of the Leadership newspaper, Sam Nda-Isaiah.

Others were a former Supreme Court justice and Chairman of the 2005 National Conference, Niki Tobi; a former Attorney General of the Federation, Kanu Agabi; Chidinma, wife of a former Aviation Minister, Osita Chidoka; and Paul Nwabiukwu, media aide to the Director General of WTO, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Some companies also are affected and these are BUA’s allocation of plot 335 in Katampe was listed, Julius Berger Nigeria also lost plot 2217 in Katampe, while Honeywell Construction Limited lost plot 653 in Idu industrial area.

Howbeit, it can be recalled that in November, Wike said might also hurt the rich and the powerful amid his FCT reform.

Wike Orders Revocation Of FCT Plots Of Land

He argued that the aim of the reform is for the good of the public.

“When we make the right decision, some people will be happy, and some will n ot.

“The rich will kick against some of our decisions, but anything that will help our people must be done,” he added.

Minister Wike reveals the cost (N5 million) of obtaining a C-of-O, which can be paid over period of four months.

He also assures the general public to put an end to multiple allotments of one plot to several people.

I Don’t Own The Land Revoked By Wike – Buhari

Reacting to the trending reports, the former and immediate-past President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, denied owning any plot of land in Abuja.

Recent reports have indicated that Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA), under the leadership of former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, revoked plots of land believed to be owned by the former president.

According to media reports, 762 plots of land in Maitama 1 district of Abuja, have been revoked by the FCT Authority over their inability to pay their statutory fees.

As said earlier, these plots of land are trusted to be owned by prominent Nigerians, including former president Muhammadu Buhari and former Chief Justice of Nigeria Walter Onnoghen.

Howbeit, refuting the report of ownership, the Daura-born former president said he is “not the owner of the said plot of land which is allocated in the name of a ‘Muhammadu Buhari Foundation.’”

The statement released by Buhari’s media aid, Garba Shehu, disclosed that, truly, Buhari was offered the land but he turned it down.

Garba Shehu further stressed that, “When he and his cabinet members were invited to fill the forms and obtain land during his tenure in office, he returned the form without filling it, saying that he already had a plot of land in the FCT and that those who did not have should be given. He, therefore, turned down the offer

“All those jumping up and down in the digital space talking about the rightfulness or the lack of it on the reported seizure of Buhari’s land in Abuja to get their facts right and stop dragging down the name of the former president.

“As with anything Buhari—and there is no surprise in this at all—there is a lot of buzz in the media on the reported seizure of a piece of land by the authorities of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, FCTA, allegedly belonging to the former President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Former President Buhari is personally not the owner of the said plot of land, which is allocated in the name of a ‘Muhammadu Buhari Foundation.

“The Foundation was itself floated by some utilitarian individuals around him who, it must be said, went about it in a lawful manner with the support of a number of well-meaning persons.

He continues, “But they ran into a roadblock in the land department of the FCDA, which handed them an outrageous bill for the issuance of the certificate of occupancy, very high in cost that did not at all compare with the bills given to similar organizations.

“It may have been that this was not erroneous, but a deliberate mistake, making the revocation of the land no surprise to anyone.

“As a person, the former President has a plot of land to his name in Abuja.”

“Former President Buhari is personally not the owner of the said plot of land, which is allocated in the name of a ‘Muhammadu Buhari Foundation.

“The Foundation was itself floated by some utilitarian individuals around him who, it must be said, went about it in a lawful manner with the support of a number of well-meaning persons,” he clarified.

Wike Orders Revocation Of FCT Plots Of Land