Prominent chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and member of its Board of Trustees, Chief Bode George, has come down hard on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, following the controversial sealing of the party’s national secretariat in Abuja over unpaid ground rent.
Speaking Tuesday during an interview on Politics Today on Channels Television, George expressed deep disappointment that Wike — a PDP member and former governor — allowed the FCT Administration (FCTA) to carry out the action under his watch.
FAST TRACK NEWS recalls that officials of the FCTA on Monday sealed the PDP headquarters, known as Wadata Plaza, citing failure to pay ground rent for up to 43 years. The enforcement affected 4,794 properties, including those belonging to government agencies, corporations, and individuals.
Following the backlash, President Bola Tinubu intervened, granting all affected parties a 14-day grace period to settle their outstanding rents and penalties.
Reacting to the situation, George questioned Wike’s loyalty to the party and argued that he should have quietly settled the N7 million debt himself if he truly regarded the PDP as his political family.
“They told us we owed N7 million in ground rent, so we defaulted. But the painful part is that the minister is also a PDP member. They waited until the day we were to hold our NEC meeting to shut the place down,” George lamented.
“Culturally, if you grew up in your father’s house and it made you who you are, you don’t burn it down. Wike should have paid the N7 million, collected the receipt, and handed it to the party, saying: ‘You people are foolish, but I’m loyal. Here’s proof. Now refund me if you wish.’ That’s what a true son would do.”
George noted that Wike, who had risen through the ranks of the PDP and held several high-profile political roles courtesy of the party, should have demonstrated gratitude rather than preside over actions that humiliate it.
He also stressed that the PDP was not alone in owing ground rent, revealing that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was equally in default.
“We made a mistake by not paying, no doubt. But we are not the only ones. The APC also owes. Still, this could have been handled better — especially by someone who calls himself one of us,” he added.
