The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has allocated a section of Abuja’s historic Old Parade Ground to the All Progressives Congress (APC), effectively granting the ruling party permanent ownership of the land without the multibillion-naira statutory charges usually required for such allocation.

The Old Parade Ground, conceived at the inception of Abuja as a communal arena for Independence Day parades, cultural festivals, sports, and political gatherings, has now been partly excised for the APC’s exclusive use.

Fast-Tracked Allocation

According to official records, on August 8, 2025, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) carved out a two-hectare portion of the grounds — registered as Plot 4742 in Cadastral Zone A01, Garki District — and handed it to the APC. On the same day, both the right of occupancy and the certificate of occupancy were issued, a process that ordinarily takes years.

The allocation documents specify that the land must be developed into an office building within two years, paving the way for the ruling party’s new national secretariat.

Currently, the APC operates from Muhammadu Buhari House in Wuse II, Abuja — a building it purchased in 2021 for ₦2.5 billion. However, at the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on July 24, 2025, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed that a more befitting headquarters be constructed.

“We’ll look for an appropriate land to build a befitting secretariat,” Tinubu said, tasking the APC leadership and the FCT Minister with securing a suitable site.

Charges Waived

Records show the land premium was assessed at ₦6,000 per square metre, with an annual ground rent of ₦35 per square metre — totaling about ₦120.6 million for the 20,100-square-metre plot.

Ordinarily, land allocations in Abuja come with additional statutory fees — including development levies, infrastructure charges, survey duties, and certificate of occupancy fees — running into several billions of naira. But officials confirmed that in this case, all charges were waived under ministerial discretion.

The APC was issued a 99-year lease at no cost to the federal treasury, a move that has fueled criticism about preferential treatment.

Growing Controversy

Observers note that the speed of approval is unprecedented in Abuja’s bureaucratic system, where land allocations often drag on for years. Both occupancy rights and certification were processed for the APC in a single day.

Since assuming office in 2023, Wike has made land allocation a defining feature of his administration — revoking titles, demolishing structures, and citing Abuja’s master plan. At the same time, he has faced allegations of favouring political allies and associates with prime allocations under highly favorable terms.