H.E. President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR
President and Commander in Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Presidential Villa
Abuja.
Your Excellency,
RE: LETTER OF PROTEST BY ABUJA ORIGINAL INHABITANTS YOUTH EMPOWERMENT ORGANIZATION ON THE MARGINALIZATION OF ORIGINAL INHABITANTS IN THE FCT-A NORTHERN AGENDA TO EMASCULATE MINORITIES IN NORTHERN NIGERIA.
We wish to start by congratulating your Excellency on your historic reelection as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to consolidate on your achievements.
We also commend your Excellency on the unprecedented milestones you have achieved since coming to power through accountable, responsible, responsive, transparent and corrupt-free leadership, a testament of your inherent capacity to connect with, inspire and uplift the life of the citizenry.
2. You have also diligently implemented a governance template that is giving all sections of the country a sense of belonging and fraternity in Project New Nigeria, a template you have rejuvenated through the NEXT LEVEL AGENDA.
The citizens are especially Happy with your Excellency’s
1. granting of financial autonomy to Local Governments
2. Proscription of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria as a terrorist organization.
3. The recent announcement to install CCTV Cameras on the nation’s highways to check terrorism, kidnapping and other violent crimes.
4. Policy on the recovery of public property and looted funds, etc
2. However, your Excellency, the Original Inhabitants of the FCT after painstaking analysis, observation of events and robust consultations have come to the understanding and conclusion that the apparent marginalization of Original Inhabitants in the FCT is part of a well-conceived strategy by the Hausa Fulani leadership of Northern Nigeria to ostracize and emasculate the minorities in Northern Nigeria and bring them under their Islamist hegemony.
Otherwise how is it that the collective leadership of the North watch as the Original Inhabitants of the FCT who they claim is part of Northern Nigeria are subjected to gross injustices and mistreated with impunity by various Administrations in the FCT, where historically the Minister of the FCT, the Executive Secretary and over 75% of the senior staff of the FCTA including land allocations, are from the North with no visible presence of Original inhabitants in all the Cadres as was case when the capital was in Lagos.
This has defeated the purpose why the Federal Capital was moved from Lagos to Abuja according to the Aguda Panel Report as adopted to provide equal opportunities to all Nigerians.
Accordingly, we have come to the understanding that the root of our problem is not Nigeria as a nation but the collective leadership of the North who have failed woefully to defend our rights as part of the North with the same identity, language, culture, dressing and religion, and inter-marriages and traditional institutions. Whenever we travel to Southern Nigeria, we are addressed as coming from Northern Nigeria but regrettably, our kith and king from Northern Nigeria do not recognize us as such and discriminate against us.
Arising from the above, we are making a passionate appeal to Your Excellency and through your Excellency, the Sultan of Sokoto His Eminence Dr. Sa’dAbubakar, the Northern Governor’s Forum, the Forum of Senators of Northern Nigeria and the Council of Emirs of Northern Nigeria and other political leadership in Northern Nigeria to immediately convene a conversation with the Original Inhabitants of the FCT to find a lasting solution to the challenges we are presently facing.
Therefore if our leaders in Northern Nigeria find it difficult to protect us they are doing to other tribes in Southern Nigeria, we will be compelled to take action that will breach the peace of the FCT, truncate the cordial relationship we are enjoying with our brothers and sisters in the North, dissociate ourselves from Northern Nigeria and alert the international community about the need for a COMPLETE RESTRUCTURING of the FCT to provide equitable representation to all Nigerians.
Most natives of Abuja have been ‘chased’ from their ancestral home to pave way for the creation of Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) – a decision which has led to the ‘near-extinction’ of their culture and tradition. An idea initially welcomed by the natives has become albatross and their biggest regret today.
The indigenous inhabitants of the FCT comprise the Gwari (Gbagyi), Koro, Gwandara, Ganagana, Afo and Bassa ethnic groups. Abuja is divided into six area councils, namely, Abuja Municipal, Gwagwalada, Abaji, Kuje, Bwari and Kwali.
Predominantly, farmers, these nine tribes are hospitable and peace-loving people with unique cultural heritage who have been in Abuja for over 500 years. Excited by the development of their land by the federal government, the natives welcomed the plan for the movement of Nigeria’s capital from Lagos to Abuja. It was then regarded as a virgin land which it is not as history has shown.
Paradoxically, he (Gen. Muritala) then said that a few inhabitants of the area will be evacuated. That was where the problem began. How can it be a virgin land when there are inhabitants in the area?
The federal government then began a pilot study on how to evacuate the natives.
Unfortunately, General Muritala who had the real vision of what the FCT should look like and a plan for the natives died exactly ten days later – February 13, 1976. He was shot dead. If Muritala was alive today, perhaps, the situation would have been far better than this
Modeled after Canberra - the capital of Australia - the federal government was faced with the challenge of relocating, compensating and resettling the natives of Abuja.
Senator Ahmad Rufai committee suggested a dual system of government for Abuja; the federal government and another in Gwagwalada that would exist to serve the natives. This was to be headed by a sole administrator while the FCT minister is in charge of the city. This recommendation and many others have been thrown in the trash can by those considered to have an ‘interest’ in Abuja.
The failed amendment of the FCT Act has left the indigenes of Abuja in a state which they consider a breach to their rights and privileges as Nigerian citizens.
Consider these your Excellency
• When it comes to collecting monthly allocations, Abuja is considered a state. But when it comes to addressing issues such as amending the Act that made Abuja Nigeria’s capital, Abuja is not regarded as a state.
• When it is time for elections, everyone will run to their villages to elect their Governors. If the constitution states that Abuja should be treated as a state, why can’t we be allowed to elect our own Governors?
• Other states have House of Assembly but according to the Act, the National Assembly is supposed to serve that same purpose. But, while other states have three Senators and Rep members of at least three, Abuja has only one Senator and two Rep members. How many people can they represent?
• Senator Philip Tanimu Aduda, the lawmaker representing Abuja, tabled a bill for an elected Mayoral System of administration for the Federal Capital Territory. The bill was ‘killed’ by legislators in 2013 led by Legislators from Northern Nigeria.
• Majority of the Former substantive Honorable Ministers of the FCT AND THE Executive Secretary FCDA are Hausa/Fulani.
They find it difficult to concede these positions to any other ethnic group not to mention the original inhabitants of the FCT.
Meanwhile, the engine rooms of the FCTA, the Permanent Secretary and the Director Urban and Regional Planning are reserved exclusively for the South East and the Southwest to do the hard mental labor involved in managing the FCT.
The continuous marginalization and dehumanization of Abuja natives is a ticking time-bomb. If our grandparents did nothing about it, the children who have finished their Masters and PhDs; those who have traveled out of Nigeria and are conversant with world best practices, will not take it.
According to the Resettlement Act, the natives are expected to be involved in the planning of the place. But the federal government has failed to act in accordance with this provision because the Minister is not from the FCT and only favors his kith and kin from the North.
Most houses built by the federal government for resettlement purposes have allegedly been sold to non-indigenes by the agents of the same Federal Government after allocating it to themselves.
In 2013, people (especially northern lawmakers) campaigned to vote against the bill seeking mayoral status for Abuja. It was southerners and easterners that supported that bill while the northerners stood against it. In fact, they are our number one enemies.
Even at the FCTA, all the sensitive positions are occupied by the northerners. In fact, we are calling on other ethnic nationalities to rise up against this injustice in lopsided appointments in the FCDA that do not reflect Federal Character and the national interest.
Unlike in other states, no native of Abuja has been appointed a minister in Nigeria – a narrative your Excellency allegedly promised to change if elected President in 2015.
Over four years after taking over power, your Excellency is yet to fulfill this promise to the natives. Abuja natives are disappointed in the present government and you know your Excellency. That was why your Excellency could not hide his anger and tagged us necessary evils.
Though every state has three senators at the national assembly, the FCT has just one and no ministerial representative at the Federal Executive Council, even when the constitution demands they have.
Though the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which provided for the appointment of ministers from the 36 states, did not mention the FCT, section 299 of the same constitution, provides for the appointment of a minister from the FCT.
The Appeal Court (CA/A/412/2016) in a landmark judgment delivered on 15 January 2018, Justice Komolafe (JCA) declared,
“FCT natives are entitled to ministerial representation in the Federal Executive Council as provided by the combined provisions of sections 147, 299, 14(3) and 42 of the1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.
“The persistent denial and refusal of past and current presidents to so appointing an indigene of FCT as a minister in the Federal Executive Council ( FEC) since May 1999 are tantamount to a gross violation of the said constitutional right against discrimination.
“That the President should, with immediate effect, appoint FCT native as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
In lieu of the above, the original inhabitants urge your Excellency and the Attorney General to obey the court and implement the judgment, adding that failure to do so would amount to a mockery to democracy and lack of respect for the rule of law.
The Federal Capital Territory is the host of government. It is unfair and unjust that for over four decades the people of the FCT after being displaced off their land are denied a voice and a place in government.
Their demand is just, right and in the spirit of reason. It is unfair for the people of the FCT not to have representation at the Federal Executive Council.
To have a government without their representation is a gross injustice. They are being punished for voluntarily handing over their land for the country to have a capital and subjected to serial marginalization, deprivation, and impoverishment. The present policy of the APC led Federal Government has put APC leaders from the natives in jeopardy.
They are accused of selling out to the Hausa Fulani in exchange for cheap political patronage and crumbs from the master’s table. If this scenario continues the APC will go into extinction in the FCT.
A STITCH IN TIME SAVES NINE as this is unacceptable.
Your Excellency, by the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended, you are our de-facto Governor and Chief Executive.
We are your immediate constituency. We are therefore appealing to your Excellency to redress this ugly situation and give us a breath of fresh air in the spirit of fairness and equity.
While we wish your Excellency Gods' speed grace and wisdom in piloting the ship of the Nigerian State, please kindly accept the assurances of our highest regards and esteem.
Sincerely,
cc.
1. The President, Senate, National Assembly
2. The Hon. Speaker, House of Representatives
3. The Country Representative UNDP
4. The Country Representative African Union
5. The Chief of Mission, European High Commission
6. The President, ECOWAS
7. The Executive Secretary of Nigeria Human Rights Commission
