President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate suspension of the sealing of properties in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) over unpaid ground rent, effectively overruling the actions initiated by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.

The presidential intervention comes after several high-profile buildings in Abuja, including the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), were sealed following Wike's directives. President Tinubu has instead granted defaulters a 14-day grace period to settle their outstanding payments.

Dele Momodu, publisher of Ovation Magazine International, praised the President's decision, suggesting it demonstrates Tinubu's firm control over his administration.

"The decision to stop Wike today achieved several points in your favour," Momodu wrote on Instagram. "We used to think we have two presidents in Nigeria, TINUBU and WIKE. Now, we know WIKE has a boss who can checkmate his excesses."

The FCT administration under Wike had embarked on an aggressive revenue drive, targeting property owners with outstanding ground rent obligations. The sealing of the PDP headquarters had particularly raised concerns about potential political motivations behind the exercise.

Political observers view the President's intervention as a significant moment in the power dynamics within the administration, with Tinubu asserting his authority over what some had perceived as Wike's autonomous operations in the FCT.

Property owners affected by the sealing exercise now have two weeks to regularize their payments before facing potential enforcement actions.