FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has defended the controversial revocation of land ownership for the Wadata Plaza, the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), insisting the action will remain in effect until outstanding debts are settled.
In a media coverage by Symfoni TV from 0:34, Wike criticized what he described as excessive sentimentality in Nigerian politics: “We are too sentimental in this country; everything is politics, religion, and ethnicity in this country. Look at a party called PDP that was in government for many years. The Wadata House is not even in their name; it is in a senator’s name.”
Wike explained the administrative process behind the revocation: “Now, when the land department were printing out those who have not paid, it is one senator who lives in Kaduna who has not paid for 23 years, and unknown to me, we revoked it. And it was now published that I revoked PDP Secretariat.”
The minister challenged the PDP to produce documentation proving ownership: “Ask them to show you the document if it bears the name PDP. Maybe they have had a deal with the man, but did not complete the assignment or whatever. So, what’s my business?”
Wike contrasted the party’s financial priorities: “Meanwhile, when you are collecting money for the sale of forms, you make 12, 13 to 20 billion, but to go and pay for something, 7 million naira, they won’t pay.”
Addressing accusations of political targeting of opposition parties, Wike stated: “They said they sent me to revoke it, so I will kill the opposition party. I mean, what kind of mentality is that? So, they sent me to tell you not to pay for over 20 years. If you don’t pay, I will revoke it, and when I revoke it, I will take possession immediately. It’s our land, because I need money to do all these roads.”