A coalition of indigenous groups and long-term residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has called on the newly appointed Chairman of the National Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN), to immediately commence preparations for the conduct of a governorship election in the nation’s capital.
The demand, which was articulated during a press briefing in Abuja, over the weekend, 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.
The group, under the banner of the FCT Senior Citizens Forum, also called on President Bola Tinubu to, without delay, rename the current Minister of the FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike, as the Sole Administrator of the territory.
This, they said, would complete what they termed his “first tenure,” to pave the way for a democratically elected governor in the subsequent election cycle.
The forum’s press conference, titled “Fulfilling the Democratic Status of Abuja,” was addressed by its Coordinator, Elder Danjuma Tanko Dara.
He stated that the time has come for the full implication of the court’s judgment to be actualised, granting every Nigerian living in the FCT the right not only to contest but also to elect their own Governor and members of the State House of Assembly.
“The recent judgment 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 Barrister 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,” the group stated.
The group argued that to ensure stability and continuity, the current administrative structure should finish 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, His Excellency Barrister 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,” the group stated.
The group argued that the referenced Court of Appeal judgement has provided a fresh legal impetus for their agitation, and they are now mobilising to ensure its enforcement.
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