Wike cedes part of Abuja Old Parade Ground to APC, waives billions in fees

Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has allegedly allocated part of Abuja’s Old Parade Ground to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), granting the party permanent title while waiving statutory charges that ordinarily run into billions of naira.

According to documents published by Peoples Gazette, the Federal Capital Territory Administration on August 8, 2025, excised a two-hectare portion of the Old Parade Ground, registered as Plot 4742 in Cadastral Zone A01, Garki District, and handed it to the APC. The right of occupancy and the certificate of occupancy were both issued on the same day, compressing a process that usually takes months or years into hours.

The records indicated that the land premium was assessed at N120.6 million, with an annual ground rent of N35 per square metre. However, officials cited in the report said the APC did not pay the premium or other mandatory charges, which in similar cases push the total cost into multibillion-naira territory. These charges typically include development levy, infrastructure fees, survey costs, processing charges, and certificate duties. Despite this, the APC was allegedly granted a 99-year lease on the property at no cost.

The speed of the allocation has also raised concerns. Land documentation in Abuja is notoriously slow due to bureaucratic bottlenecks, with applicants often waiting years to obtain certificates of occupancy. In this case, both the right of occupancy and certificate were reportedly delivered the same day, signed off directly by Mr Wike.

Critics argue the development risks stripping the Old Parade Ground of its civic purpose. The site, among Abuja’s oldest landmarks, has historically hosted Independence Day parades, political rallies, football matches, concerts, religious gatherings, and cultural festivals. With a permanent title now allegedly vested in a political party, citizens fear the grounds may eventually be fenced off and lost to public use.

An official quoted anonymously described the allocation as partisan, warning that “a lot of what he has done will need to be reversed by his successor for the sake of our country.”

Since taking office in 2023, Mr Wike has made land allocation a core part of his tenure, revoking titles and demolishing properties in the name of restoring Abuja’s master plan, while also allegedly granting prime plots to associates and political allies. The Old Parade Ground allocation stands out not just for its size and location, but also for the billions allegedly waived.

Attempts by Peoples Gazette to reach Mr Wike’s spokesperson and presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga for comment were unsuccessful. The APC’s national publicity secretary, Bala Ibrahim, however, defended the allocation, asking: “What is wrong about land being allocated to the APC?” He did not cite instances where other political organisations had been given comparable assets on the same terms.

The alleged allocation follows an earlier clash over land use in Abuja. In 2024, Mr Wike revoked land approval for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, forcing its leadership, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, to relocate and pursue a new political coalition.