Lere Olayinka, spokesman for FCT Nyesom Wike, has faulted the position of Ireti Kingibe on the enforcement of ground rent by the FCT Administration.

Ms Kingibe, representing the FCT in the Senate on the platform of the Labour Party, challenged the sealing of property by the FCTA, describing it as unconstitutional.

The senator, in a statement, noted that although enforcement of tax obligations was necessary, defaulting on ground rent payments was no legal ground for the arbitrary takeover of property.

Responding, Mr Olayinka said in a statement on Thursday that the senator was unaware of the provisions of the Land Use Act. He described Ms Kingibe’s comment on the enforcement of payment of ground rent as illogical, explaining that land allocation comes with conditions.

According to him, land allocation comes with conditions that must be met, one of which is the annual payment of ground rent without demand notice.

He advised the senator against using the ground rent enforcement to score cheap political gain.

Mr Olayinka said, “It is surprising that a serving senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, whose duty is to make laws, is ignorant of the provisions of Section 28, Subsections (a) and (b) of the Land Use Act.

“Section 28, Subsections (a) and (b) of the Land Use Act provides that ‘The Government may revoke a Statutory Right of Occupancy on the ground of; (a) a breach of any of the provisions which a certificate of occupancy is by Section 10 deemed to contain; and (b) a breach of any term contained in the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O).

“Now, is annual payment of ground rent not part of the terms contained in the C of O?”

The spokesperson asked whether Ms Kingibe would look the other way if land allottees refused to pay ground rent for 10 to 43 years if she were the FCT minister.

The FCTA began taking over 4,794 revoked properties in the territory on Monday due to unpaid ground rent amounting to more than N6 billion.

Mr Tinubu, however, gave the defaulters 14-day grace to pay the outstanding ground rent and associated penalties.

(NAN)