Amid criticism against the enforcement of the ground rent payments, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has disclosed that the move is to ensure that wealthy Abuja residents irrespective of their political affiliations comply strictly with the law, saying I derive joy from stepping on the toes of ‘big men’.
Wike added that the enforcement and publication of the defaulters name is to assist the Federal Government generate funds and complete all proposed projects for the FCT and the country.
The Rivers state former governor, who made this known during a media chat in Abuja, said all property owners in Abuja who are yet to pay their ground rent must do so or face the music.
The minister, who took a swipe at some chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) including Bode George, stated that the opposition must pay the ground rent for its secretariat in Abuja.
Wike said his predecessors in the FCT including now Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed lacked the courage to compel political bigwigs who own structures in the nation’s capital to pay their annual ground rent.
He said, “Look at what we are doing differently. People have said that FCT was not working (but) now it is working which means I’m doing things that they (past FCT ministers) refused to do.
“I found out that most of them didn’t have the courage to annoy people, to step on toes but I take joy when I step on the toes of big men; those who say nothing will happen but I say something will happen. It makes me happy.
“All they want me to do is to make decisions against poor people saying nothing will happen to them but I say something will happen. That is why we making results. If you don’t do the right thing, too bad. I don’t care.”
The Wike administration in the FCT had published the details of 9,000 debtors in newspapers, asking them to pay their ground rents to avoid the risk of forfeiture.
The administration subsequently announced on May 23, 2025 that it would take possession of about 5,000 affected properties owing ground rents between 10 and 43 years and began sealing and taking over properties of debtors including the PDP national secretariat but President Bola Tinubu granted the defaulters a 14-day grace period to settle their outstanding payments and penalties.
