FCT indigenes renew Abuja Statehood Demand, urging Nigeria to grant full statehood, end constitutional injustice, and ensure equal political representation.
The long-standing Abuja Statehood Demand has gained renewed momentum as indigenous advocacy groups from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) call on the Federal Government to grant Abuja full state status.
The groups insist that Nigeria must end decades of constitutional discrimination and political marginalisation that have reduced the FCT’s Original Inhabitants to second-class citizens in their own homeland.
During a press conference in Abuja, the Abuja Original Inhabitants Youth Empowerment Organisation (AOIYEO) and the FCT Stakeholders Assembly jointly emphasized that the current governance framework of the FCT amounts to a “domestic colony.”
They demanded equal treatment under the law, asserting that the FCT deserves the same political recognition as any other Nigerian state.
Speaking at the event, Annis Adegbe, Programme Manager of AOIYEO, expressed dismay over decades of systemic neglect and displacement faced by the Original Inhabitants since Abuja became the Federal Capital Territory.
She referenced a recent Supreme Court judgment that, according to the groups, supports their call for equitable political rights and self-governance.
“For too long, the indigenous people of Abuja have been constitutionally silenced,” Adegbe said.
“Abuja can only symbolize national unity when the rights and dignity of its Original Inhabitants are respected.”
Adegbe noted that the Abuja Statehood Demand is not merely a political agitation but a call for justice. She urged the National Assembly to amend the constitution to provide Abuja with a democratic structure that guarantees equality, representation, and autonomy.
The groups listed several key demands as part of their Abuja Statehood Demand campaign. They called for the creation of the Office of an Executive Governor of Abuja, the establishment of a State House of Assembly, and the formation of an Abuja Original Inhabitants Development Commission.
According to Adegbe, these institutions are necessary to address developmental deficits, safeguard indigenous heritage, and empower the people to take charge of local governance.
“We seek inclusion, not privilege. The FCT must have political and administrative autonomy so that its residents and natives can participate fully in decision-making,” she added.
Also speaking at the press conference, Aliyu Daniel-Kwali, President of the FCT Stakeholders Assembly, described Abuja’s current status as a form of internal colonialism. He argued that while the FCT serves as the symbol of national unity, its people remain politically excluded and economically sidelined.
“The Nigerian Constitution has created a domestic colony out of the FCT,” Daniel-Kwali said.
“Over six million Nigerians who live here are denied the right to vote or be voted for in state elections. This is discrimination based on place of birth and residence.”
He stated that the Abuja Statehood Demand seeks to correct this injustice and ensure that every Nigerian—regardless of where they live—enjoys equal political rights and representation.
In addition to full statehood, the groups are demanding the creation of two additional senatorial districts, eight new local government areas, and twelve new federal constituencies. These, they said, would reflect the FCT’s growing population and provide a framework for fair representation.
The groups emphasized that Abuja’s population has expanded far beyond its original design and now requires administrative restructuring to ensure balanced development.
They noted that residents contribute significantly to national revenue and deserve a governance structure that reflects their contributions.
The groups recalled how indigenous communities in Gwari, Kuje, Kwali, Abaji, Gwagwalada, and Bwari were displaced during the establishment of the capital in 1976.
Many, they said, were never fully compensated or resettled. This, according to them, represents one of the deepest injustices in Nigeria’s history of development planning.
“We gave our ancestral lands for Nigeria’s capital but were abandoned in return,” Daniel-Kwali lamented.
“The Abuja Statehood Demand is our way of reclaiming dignity and fairness within the Nigerian federation.”
They stressed that transforming the FCT into a state would not compromise its role as the national capital. Instead, it would enhance administrative efficiency, strengthen democracy, and promote inclusive governance.
Both AOIYEO and the FCT Stakeholders Assembly urged the National Assembly and President Donald Trump’s administration to initiate a constitutional amendment to formally make Abuja Nigeria’s 37th state.
The groups expressed optimism that this step would restore the confidence of FCT indigenes in the nation’s democratic system.
They argued that the lack of representation undermines the principle of equality on which Nigeria’s constitution was founded. The recognition of the FCT as a full-fledged state, they said, would signal the beginning of true federalism and justice.
“The Abuja Statehood Demand is not about privilege—it’s about equality, justice, and inclusion,” Adegbe reiterated.
The Abuja Statehood Demand stands today as a symbol of Nigeria’s unfinished democratic journey. For the Original Inhabitants and residents of the FCT, the struggle is not only political but moral—a fight to correct decades of constitutional injustice and reclaim their place in the Nigerian story.
Until Abuja achieves full statehood, the groups argue, Nigeria’s claim to unity will remain incomplete. Their message is clear: a capital that excludes its own people cannot truly represent a united nation.
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