By Stanley Onyekwere
A coalition of indigenous groups and long-term residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has issued a clarion call to the newly appointed Chairman of the National Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan , urging him to immediately commence preparations for the conduct of a governorship election in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
This demand averred during a press briefing in Abuja Thursday, is predicated on a recent Court of Appeal judgement, which declared that Abuja, the FCT, should be accorded a status equivalent to that of a state.
Under the banner of the FCT Senior Citizens Forum, the stakeholders also called on President Bola Tinubu to, without delay, designate the current Minister of the FCT, Mr. Nyesom Wike, as the Sole Administrator of the territory to complete what they term his “first tenure,” paving the way for a democratically elected governor in the subsequent election cycle.
According to them, the referenced Court of Appeal judgement has provided a fresh legal impetus for their agitation, and they are now mobilising to ensure its enforcement, that the message is clear: the time for a Governor of Abuja is now.
The press conference, titled “Fulfilling the Democratic Status of Abuja,” was led by its Coordinator, Elder Danjuma Tanko Dara.
Elder Dara stated that the time has come for the full implication of the court’s judgement to be actualized, granting every Nigerian living in the FCT the right to not only contest for but also to elect their own Governor and members of a State House of Assembly.
Reading from a prepared text, he declared, “The recent judgement of the Court of Appeal is not a mere legal opinion; it is a binding pronouncement that has clarified the constitutional standing of the FCT.
“For too long, the citizens of Abuja have been treated as second-class voters, participating in presidential elections but denied the fundamental right to elect their own chief executive and legislative assembly for the territory. This democratic deficit ends now.
“We call on Barr. Joash Amupitan, as a distinguished Senior Advocate of Nigeria and a man known for his integrity, to hit the ground running. His first major task, beyond the general elections, must be to set in motion the machinery for the FCT Governorship Election.
“The logistics of voter registration, delineation of constituencies for a state assembly, and the planning for this historic poll must begin in earnest. We cannot afford any delays.”
Also, the call for the transition also included a strategic political recommendation for the Presidency.
However, the group argued that to ensure stability and continuity, the current administrative structure should see out its term.
“In the spirit of a seamless transition and to avoid a political vacuum, we urge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately rename the Minister of the FCT, Barr. Nyesom Wike, as the Sole Administrator of the FCT to complete his first tenure, which is already in progress.
“This gesture will allow for the completion of ongoing projects and provide INEC with ample time to prepare for the gubernatorial election, where every eligible Nigerian resident in the FCT can contest and be elected as Governor or Assembly member. The era of political exclusion in Abuja is over,” he stated.
Recall that the appeal strikes at the heart of a long-standing constitutional and political debate. Since its inception, the FCT has been administered by a Minister appointed by the President, unlike the 36 states which have elected governors.
This has often been a point of agitation for the original inhabitants and residents who argue that the current system denies them full democratic representation.
