Unveiling The Truth About PDP's 'Headquarters': A Revelation By Lere Olayinka

Scope 06 Apr 2025

PDP's 'Headquarters' Mystery: Who Really Owns Wadata Plaza?

Alright, listen up. This is a story that’s got some serious twists and turns. Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication and New Media to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, dropped a bombshell on Arise Television’s “The Morning Show” on March 25, 2025. He revealed something that might shock a lot of people—especially those within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). It turns out that the building they’ve long considered their national headquarters, Wadata Plaza, doesn’t actually belong to them. Crazy, right?

Let me break it down for you. Wadata Plaza, located in Wuse Zone 5 in Abuja, has been seen as the nerve center of PDP operations for years. But according to Olayinka, even he was unaware of this fact until recently. Imagine that—someone high up in the government not knowing something so fundamental about one of Nigeria’s biggest political parties. It just goes to show how murky things can get in the world of politics.

Why Did the FCT Minister Revoke the Title?

Now, here’s where the story gets even more interesting. The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, who is also a member of the PDP, decided to revoke the land title for Wadata Plaza. Why? Well, it all boils down to money—or the lack thereof. The PDP hadn’t been paying their ground rent for the property. And if you don’t pay your rent, well, you can’t stay, right? It’s as simple as that.

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But it didn’t stop there. The government also revoked the title for the PDP’s unfinished national secretariat in the Central Area Business District of Abuja. That’s two major properties gone in one fell swoop. This move has obviously stirred up a lot of controversy, with PDP leaders accusing President Bola Tinubu’s administration of trying to silence opposition. They believe these actions are politically motivated and aimed at weakening the PDP’s influence in the country.

Olayinka’s Explanation: A Property That Never Was

Olayinka didn’t mince words when justifying the revocation. He made it crystal clear that Wadata Plaza doesn’t belong to the PDP. In fact, he said, “Wadata does not belong to the PDP; most members don’t know. I did not even know until two weeks ago.” That’s a pretty bold statement, and it raises a lot of questions about transparency within the party.

But the story goes back even further. Olayinka recounted that way back in 2005, the PDP tried to buy the property from its rightful owner, former Senate leader, Senator Samaila Mamman. They approached the then Minister of the FCT, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, for approval. But here’s the kicker—they were told they’d need to cough up ₦26.9 million. And guess what? The PDP, which was the ruling party at the time, couldn’t come up with the cash.

The PDP’s Missed Opportunity

Olayinka explained the situation like this: “The PDP moved to buy the property from Senator Samaila in 2005, and after that, they wrote to the Minister of the FCT, Malam El-Rufai, a member of the PDP at that time, saying that we were buying this property, asking for the minister’s consent, which is the normal thing you do when you’re buying a property.”

But here’s the twist. When the PDP was told they’d need to pay ₦26.9 million, their then-Chairman, Vincent Ogbulafor, shot back, saying the price was too high. Can you believe it? The ruling party at the time couldn’t scrape together ₦26 million. And El-Rufai wasn’t having it. He insisted that the PDP needed to do the right thing, just as Minister Wike is doing now.

So, with the land title revoked, Olayinka concluded that the building now rightfully belongs to Senator Samaila Mamman. It’s a stark reminder that in the world of politics, nothing is ever as simple as it seems. And sometimes, the truth can be stranger—and more revealing—than fiction.