The President of the Original Inhabitants Development Association (OIDA), Pastor Danladi Jeji, said the plight of the indigenous people of the territory remains a time bomb that may hit the federal government if the pressing issues are not resolved in favour of the natives.

Jeji, who stated this in Abuja on Wednesday, said it is an act of impunity that the federal government has refused to recognise the rights of the FCT indigenous people to vote at a second-tier level of government.

He said since the former military head of state, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida officially relocated the capital of Nigeria, the seat of power to FCT on 12th December 1992 and 32 years after, there was no democratic system of government in the territory, even after a return to democracy in 1999.

“Hence, when other states are voting for their governors and state houses of assembly members, the FCT original inhabitants and residents are exempted thereby prompting the outcry of injustice and marginalisation,” he said.

According to him, the Federal Capital City (FCC) or City Centre and the larger FCT state headquarters was built by the late President Shehu Shagari in Gwagwalada, which he said remained a testament after 33 years.

“If the federal government wants the FCT to function as a state in line with Section 299 of the 1999 constitution (as amended), it can be done. The FCT government and the FCC administration can cohabit in the FCT, just as we can see that the current FCT administration under FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike is subtly modifying governance structures in the  territory administratively to make it look like a state but with little political will to make the actions open, transparent and in line with the

constitutional realities so as to allow FCT Indigenous people to fully enjoy their democratic rights,” he noted.

He added, “For how long will FCT original inhabitants continue to be denied a full FCT state status by the federal government despite several Court of Appeal and Supreme Court judgments that FCT is the 37th state? This is an act of gross injustices and inhumanity to man,” he said.

He, however, stated that the recent efforts by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to bring financial autonomy to the local governments (LGs) have been very commendable, but the status of the local councils (LCs) remained controversial. 

“If one may ask, why does the constitution refer to FCT Local Councils (LCs) as “Area Councils” while in states they are referred to as “local governments” (LGs) yet our leaders often claim we have 774 local government areas while in practice they deal with 768 local government areas and 6 area councils in the FCT?,” he asked.

He said as the local government financial autonomy is being implemented across the 37 states, there should be total and inclusion of the FCT, saying it is time for the FCT lawmakers at the National Assembly to also stand up and fight for the rights of the people of the FCT.

 

 

 

Pastor Jeji, said apart from demanding for a governorate for FCT, the original inhabitants were also demanding to have 3 senators, 6 House of Representatives members, and 11 more local governments (LGs), adding that the original inhabitants are also demanding for the creation of  FCT Original Inhabitants Development Commission (FOIDC).

 

 

 

“Because for the FCT that has 8,000 square kilometres with 858 communities and over 7 million residents, it is no longer time for the delay as the National Assembly, state governors and the federal government must do all within their powers to grant FCT’s original inhabitants their constitutional rights to vote and be voted for in all positions before the next general election in 2027,” he said.

 

 

 

He, therefore, called on the federal government to commission an unbiased study by the United Nations (UN) or other international organisations on the impact of the siting of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) indigenes since 1976.