A heated exchange has erupted between FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and Senator Ireti Kingibe, the Federal Capital Territory’s Senate representative, over the recent mass sealing of properties in Abuja due to unpaid ground rent—a legally mandated land charge under the Land Use Act.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), led by Wike, recently sealed dozens of properties—including Access Bank and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Secretariat—over ground rent debts stretching up to 43 years.
Senator Ireti Kingibe, in a statement on May 26, denounced the move as unconstitutional, calling it “indiscriminate”, “illegal”, and “insensitive to current economic realities.” She argued that such enforcement lacked due process and violated both the Land Use Act and the Urban and Regional Planning Act, which, according to her, do not authorise property sealing as a first-level penalty.
“No Nigerian’s property can be lawfully seized or sealed solely due to ground rent default,” Kingibe said. “There are procedures. What we’re witnessing is an abuse of power.”
Wike’s office, through Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, responded in a fiery statement, accusing Kingibe of “ridiculous ignorance” of the law and politicising a routine enforcement exercise.
“Ground rent is not optional,” Olayinka stated. “It is a legal obligation. Ignoring it for decades cannot be swept under the rug because a senator decides to turn everything into an anti-Wike crusade.”
He also dismissed Kingibe’s interpretation of the law, arguing that default on ground rent is a breach of the Certificate of Occupancy, which justifies revocation or enforcement under Section 28 of the Land Use Act.
“Would she fold her arms while property owners dodge payment for 43 years?” he asked.
Senator Kingibe acknowledged the legal basis for collecting ground rent but insisted the administration bypassed due process.
“The enforcement method was arbitrary and counterproductive,” she said, pledging to push for legislative oversight to prevent such actions in future.
“This is about the rule of law, not about protecting defaulters.”
The clash comes despite President Bola Tinubu’s recent intervention, which granted a 14-day grace period to defaulters to clear outstanding payments, temporarily halting further enforcement actions.
Yet, the political fallout continues, with the Wike–Kingibe spat highlighting deeper divisions over governance style, legal interpretation, and political motives within the capital’s leadership structure.