RismadarVoice Reporters
May 29, 2026
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has directed owners of hotels and event centres in Abuja to deny access to political party factions not recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The directive was issued on Friday by Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
According to the statement, venue operators are expected to deal only with political party leaderships officially recognised by INEC when approving the use of their facilities.
“Owners of event centres and hotels in particular must ensure that they only deal with Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)-recognised leadership of political parties in respect of the use of their facilities, and proper records of transactions must be kept,” Olayinka stated.
The FCTA warned that failure to comply with the directive could attract severe sanctions, including the revocation of title documents belonging to affected properties.
“Failure to comply with this directive will result in revocation of the title documents of such properties,” the statement added.
The administration said the measure was introduced as part of efforts to maintain security and public order in the Federal Capital Territory amid rising political tensions ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to the FCTA, authorities would monitor political gatherings to prevent activities capable of disrupting peace within the nation’s capital.
The directive comes at a time when several political parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party, are facing internal leadership disputes and factional battles over party control.
INEC recognition has become a critical issue in many of the disputes, with rival factions seeking legitimacy through court rulings and electoral commission endorsements.
The latest order is expected to generate political debate, as critics may interpret it as an attempt to restrict rival factions from organising meetings and political activities within Abuja.
Neither the affected political parties nor INEC had officially reacted to the directive as of the time of filing this report.
