Wike Hands APC Abuja’s Historic Old Parade Ground at No Cost, Waives Billions in Statutory Charges
Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has controversially handed a large portion of Abuja’s historic Old Parade Ground to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), granting the party permanent ownership without paying the multibillion-naira fees that are standard for such prized land allocations, PulseNets learnt from documents in circulation.
On August 8, 2025, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) carved out a two-hectare parcel of the Old Parade Ground—officially registered as Plot 4742 in Cadastral Zone A01, Garki District—and allocated it to the APC. Both the right of occupancy and the certificate of occupancy were issued the same day, collapsing what is usually a slow and bureaucratic process into a lightning-fast single transaction.
Waived Charges Worth Billions
According to the allocation papers reviewed by PulseNets, the premium for the land was set at ₦6,000 per square metre, while the annual ground rent stood at ₦35 per square metre. For the 20,100 square metres allocated, the party ought to have paid at least ₦120.6 million in assessed premium, excluding other statutory charges that typically balloon such transactions into billions of naira.
Officials told PulseNets that APC did not pay a kobo of the assessed bill. Normally, FCT land allocations include not only premiums and ground rent but also charges for development levy, survey duties, processing fees, infrastructure levies, and certificate of occupancy fees. Wike, however, waived all of these obligations for his ruling party.
“These charges make up the bulk of Abuja land costs, especially in the city centre,” one official explained, stressing that in similar allocations, the final bill often runs into several billions. “But in this case, nothing was collected.”
Despite non-payment, the APC was immediately issued a 99-year lease certificate on the land.
Unprecedented Speed of Allocation
Abuja’s land system is notoriously slow, with applicants often waiting months or even years before a right of occupancy is approved. Issuance of a certificate of occupancy is an even longer process that requires strict compliance with fees and documentation.
Yet in this case, Wike signed off both documents the very same day—something officials described to PulseNets as a brazen abuse of discretion.
“The minister is defacing Abuja’s foundational design for his personal and political journey,” one senior official told PulseNets under anonymity. “A lot of what he has done will need to be reversed by his successor for the sake of our country.”
From Civic Landmark to Party Stronghold
The Old Parade Ground, carved at the heart of Abuja, has for decades served as a national civic landmark, hosting Independence Day parades, political rallies, football matches, cultural festivals, concerts, and religious gatherings. By excising part of it for the ruling party, Wike has effectively transformed a shared national space into partisan control.
If APC proceeds with construction, the grounds could be fenced off permanently, ending its use as a public arena and replacing it with a party complex.
Political Symbolism and Double Standards
For everyday Nigerians seeking modest plots in Abuja, the land process is gruelling, requiring full upfront payment of premiums and statutory charges that often wipe out family savings. By contrast, the APC, which brands itself as Africa’s largest political party, was spared the burden entirely.
Since assuming office in August 2023, Wike has wielded land allocation as a political weapon—revoking titles, demolishing structures under the guise of restoring the city’s master plan, while rewarding allies, relatives, and loyalists with prime plots on favourable terms.
The allocation of Plot 4742 to APC, however, stands out for both its scale and its symbolism. It was not a fringe parcel but a nationally recognised ceremonial ground. It was not subject to long bureaucratic hurdles but concluded in hours. And it was not tied to billions in charges but given away for free.
Silence from Wike, A Defence from APC
Efforts by PulseNets to reach Lere Olayinka, spokesperson for Wike, proved abortive as calls and texts went unanswered. Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga also did not respond to enquiries.
But Bala Ibrahim, APC’s national publicity secretary, dismissed concerns, telling PulseNets there was nothing wrong with the allocation.
“What is wrong about land being allocated to the APC?” Mr Ibrahim queried, adding, “There are lands allocated to certain categories, such as organisations, amongst others.”
Pressed further, Ibrahim could not provide a single instance where the government handed such a prized national landmark to other political parties without charges.
Opposition Squeeze
PulseNets recalls that in 2024, as Wike’s clampdown on opposition intensified under President Bola Tinubu, the minister revoked land allocated to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), forcing its top leaders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, to abandon the platform and form a new coalition.
The latest allocation to APC therefore highlights what many analysts see as Wike’s double-standard approach: punishing opposition parties while gifting the ruling party historic and costly national assets at zero cost.
Also Read: Abuja Land Grabber, Wike Acccuses Civil Servants of Multibillion Naira Contract Scams
With a single stroke of his pen, Wike converted part of Abuja’s historic Old Parade Ground—a space of collective memory and national identity—into partisan property. Billions that could have gone into government coffers to stabilise Nigeria’s struggling economy were waived, leaving the APC with a 99-year legal title for free.
Whether a future administration will reverse this controversial decision remains to be seen. For now, a landmark once tied to national unity has been redrawn into a symbol of partisan privilege.
