The Senior Special Assistant to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister on Public Communication and New Media, Lere Olayinka, has defended the revocation of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) national secretariat in Abuja, placing the blame squarely on the party’s elders, particularly Chief Bode George, rather than the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
Olayinka issued a statement on Saturday in response to comments made by Chief Bode George, a former National Working Committee (NWC) member of the PDP. George had recently accused Wike of crossing a “red line” by revoking the PDP’s national secretariat, describing the action as a declaration of war against the party. This statement came after the PDP’s national secretariat property in the Wadata Plaza, located in Abuja, was affected by a larger revocation of 4,794 land titles by the FCT administration for non-payment of ground rent.
According to Olayinka, it is not Minister Wike’s fault that the PDP has failed to pay its ground rent for 28 years, a failure that ultimately led to the revocation of the party’s national secretariat’s land title. He pointed out that the PDP, under the leadership of individuals like Chief Bode George, had neglected its financial obligations to the FCT, which led to the revocation of the property title alongside thousands of others.
“It is both surprising and unfortunate that Chief Bode George, who was in the PDP NWC when the party failed to conclude the purchase of the Wadata Plaza property, would now come out to blame Minister Wike for the revocation,” Olayinka said.
Olayinka clarified that the Wadata Plaza, which serves as the PDP’s national secretariat, is not even owned by the party. He explained that the property belongs to Senator Samaila Mamman Kurfi, who bought it from Wadata Enterprises Nigeria Limited. The PDP had expressed interest in purchasing the property in 2005 but failed to pay the required N26.9 million for the transaction, despite a request for the Minister’s Consent. The party even wrote to the then-FCT Minister, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, asking for the payment to be waived, claiming a lack of financial capacity. However, El-Rufai insisted that the party must meet its financial obligations.
Olayinka also noted that, in 2014, despite the PDP raising over N21 billion to complete the Wadata Plaza building, it still failed to pay a relatively small sum of N7.6 million for the ground rent, which had accumulated over 20 years. He suggested that such financial negligence is what led to the current crisis.
“It is very clear that the fault lies with the PDP for failing to settle its ground rent over a long period of time. How is this Minister Wike’s fault?” Olayinka asked. “In fact, this situation should be an embarrassment to the PDP and its leadership, not something to be used as an excuse to attack Minister Wike, who is simply performing his duty.”
In his response, Olayinka also questioned Chief Bode George’s understanding of the broader context. He pointed out that 4,794 land titles were revoked by the FCT Minister, not just the PDP’s, and this included major government institutions like the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), among others.
“Why is Chief Bode George singling out Wike? If the PDP owed ground rent for 28 years, should it be treated differently from other landowners who also failed to meet their financial obligations?” Olayinka remarked, stressing that it would have been more appropriate for the PDP elders to seek proper information rather than make public accusations against the FCT Minister.
Olayinka also took the opportunity to reflect on the political track records of both Wike and Bode George, emphasizing that the actions of the two men in their respective states—Rivers State for Wike and Lagos State for Bode George—should be clear indicators of their political commitment and loyalty to the PDP.
“Wike has delivered outstanding results for the PDP in his home state of Rivers, while Bode George’s influence in Lagos is questionable,” Olayinka said, adding that the party’s failure to address such financial issues may have stemmed from a lack of effective leadership.
The FCT Minister’s spokesperson further urged Chief Bode George to function more as an elder statesman and act with objectivity, rather than acting out of personal grievances. Olayinka argued that constructive dialogue and seeking information would have led to a better understanding of the situation, but George’s choice to publicly criticize Wike without full knowledge only fueled unnecessary tensions.
Olayinka’s statement also highlighted that Wike’s actions were in line with standard government procedures for enforcing land ownership laws, which require that ground rent be paid by all landowners. According to Olayinka, the FCT Ministry’s responsibility is to ensure that individuals and organizations comply with regulations, and that failure to do so results in penalties, including the revocation of land titles.
“Minister Wike is simply doing his job as the FCT Minister,” Olayinka said. “He is enforcing the law fairly, without bias, and the PDP should take responsibility for its actions instead of pointing fingers at those doing their job.”
This public exchange between the FCT Minister’s aide and Chief Bode George has added to the growing tensions within the PDP, which has faced criticism over its leadership and internal divisions. The party is currently navigating a series of challenges, from internal disputes to its political strategy at the national level. As the PDP continues to deal with this crisis over its national secretariat, the party may have to confront larger questions about financial management and its approach to governance.
