The Original Inhabitants of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have demanded full political and administrative structures comparable to those of other states in the federation, including a State House of Assembly, an elected governor and additional federal constituencies.
The Supreme Leader of FCT Youths, Ambassador Isaac David, said the nation’s capital should no longer be treated as a second-class entity but should enjoy equal political rights, constitutional recognition and institutional arrangements available to other states.
David described the acknowledgement of the longstanding demands by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, as a historic milestone in the decades-long struggle of the indigenous population for political recognition and equal rights.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, he said it was the first time since the creation of the FCT that a serving minister had openly acknowledged the challenges confronting the Original Inhabitants and the need to address their political and administrative concerns.
According to him, the FCT deserves a State House of Assembly comprising elected lawmakers who would make laws to protect the interests of the indigenous population and promote the development of the territory.
He also called for increased representation of the FCT in the House of Representatives through the creation of additional federal constituencies and more Area Councils to strengthen grassroots administration and political participation.
David maintained that FCT residents should have the democratic right to elect their own governor, like citizens in other states, rather than remain excluded from the same level of political participation.
He further called for justice and equal rights for the Original Inhabitants, insisting that they deserved the same rights, privileges and opportunities enjoyed by other Nigerians without discrimination.
The youth leader also demanded an end to what he described as systematic discrimination, marginalisation and neglect of indigenous communities whose ancestral lands, covering approximately 8,000 square kilometres, were acquired for the establishment of the FCT as Nigeria’s capital.
He said Wike’s acknowledgement of these demands represented a breakthrough in the peaceful struggle of the indigenous population, which had spanned several generations.
“This historic pronouncement is a vindication of our decades-long peaceful struggle. Our fathers cried for it, our mothers prayed for it, and our generation fought for it,” he said.
David added that the Federal Government, through the FCT Minister, had acknowledged the legitimacy of the concerns raised by the Original Inhabitants.
“Today, the Federal Government, through the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Chief Barrister Nyesom Wike, has acknowledged that our demands are just, constitutional and legitimate,” he stated.
He said the development had renewed the hope of indigenous communities for an inclusive political arrangement that would guarantee their participation in decision-making and give them greater control over issues affecting their ancestral communities.
David urged residents and Original Inhabitants across the 858 communities in the FCT to support the Wike-led administration with their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), while remaining united, peaceful and focused on their collective aspirations.
He expressed confidence that sustained unity, peaceful engagement and political participation would bring the struggle closer to achieving its objectives.
