By Sunny Onyekwere
Some indigenous people of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have appealed to President Bola Tinubu, seeking the immediate inclusion of a native of the territory in the list of ambassadorial nominations currently before the Senate for confirmation.
The call was made at a press briefing in Abuja,, by the FCT Senior Citizens Forum, who condemned what they termed “systematic and perpetual marginalisation and exclusion” of the original inhabitants in key political appointments, despite ceding their ancestral lands for the nation’s capital.
Speaking under the banner of the forum, Elder Danjuma Tanko Dara, the Coordinator, stated that the recent constitution of the Governing Board of the North Central Development Commission (NCDC), which completely omitted an FCT native, was the latest in a long line of painful exclusions.
“Enough is enough. From ministerial appointments to board placements and diplomatic postings, we are treated as strangers in our own homeland.
“The recent NCDC board is a fresh wound on an old sore. This pattern of neglect is not just an oversight; it is an injustice that must be corrected for the sake of posterity, equity, and national cohesion,” he said.
The forum presented a twin-pronged appeal to the President, blending a stark political reality with a warning about rising social discontent.
Elder Dara reminded the administration of the constitutional requirement for a presidential candidate to secure at least 25 per cent of the votes cast in the FCT to be declared winner.
“Mr. President, your path to victory in 2027 legally passes through the FCT. You cannot afford to ignore or marginalise the very people whose mandate you will require for legitimacy. Political wisdom demands that you carry the indigenous people along.
“The persistent marginalisation breeds deep-seated resentment and a feeling of alienation among our youth. When a people feel they have sacrificed everything for a national project yet reap only exclusion, it sows seeds of discord and unrest.
“We are the custodians of this land, and a capital city built on the alienation of its original owners is built on a fragile foundation. This is a danger to social harmony and the unity of Nigeria,” he said.
The group also directed a pointed appeal to the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, urging him to leverage his influential position to champion their cause within the federal government.
“The Minister is the political head of the FCT. His role is not just about building infrastructure but also about building bridges and ensuring justice for all residents, especially the natives.
“We call on him to justify the confidence reposed in him by ensuring that the indigenous people of the FCT are adequately represented in the government of President Tinubu. He must be our loudest voice in the corridors of power,” he stated.
He said that their demand highlights the unique and often contentious administrative status of the FCT.
“While the FCT hosts the federal government, its original inhabitants from the nine indigenous ethnic groups (including Gbagyi, Gwandara, Bassa, and others) our people have lacked the political rights and representation enjoyed by citizens of states,” he said.
The FCT Senior Citizens Forum further vowed to formally petition the Presidency, the Senate, and the Federal Character Commission, calling on the Senate to pause the confirmation of the ambassadorial list until the anomaly is addressed.
“We are not begging; we are demanding our rightful place at the table of the Nigerian commonwealth.
“The time for corrective action is now. Let justice be done, so that the peace and development of our great capital city can be secure,” he stated.
