Wike’s governor claim rekindles FCT statehood push

The recent remark by the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, likening his role to that of a state governor, has sparked a fervent response from the territory’s Indigenous people. His statement, made during a media chat with selected journalists, has reignited calls for full statehood by native groups who argue that such a comparison should be based on constitutional and political realities.

Under the banner of the Abuja Original Inhabitants Youths and Empowerment Organisation (AOIYEO), indigenous communities are urging the minister to sponsor a bill at the National Assembly advocating for FCT’s elevation to full statehood. They expressed readiness to support Wike as the first official beneficiary of such a move, viewing it as a step towards formalising the implied equivalence between his authority and that of a state governor.

In a statement signed by its president, Commandant David Isaac, AOIYEO referenced a Supreme Court ruling that conferred a state-like status on the FCT, noting that this forms a solid legal foundation for advancing the demand. “Since the minister recognises this fact and the judgement backing it, we believe the path is clear for the FCT to be positioned as a state within the law. That is why we are calling on him to champion this cause. All indigenous peoples of the FCT are ready to stand behind him,” Isaac declared.

He also decried the long-standing imbalance between the administrative control wielded within the FCT and the inadequate political representation of its original inhabitants.

“The clamour for statehood isn’t new—it’s a generational pursuit among FCT indigenes. But the minister’s recent assertion has injected renewed momentum into the movement, framing it as a matter of justice and parity,” Isaac said, adding that granting statehood would redress historical injustices and empower indigenous residents.

While AOIYEO acknowledged the political complexities of such a bill, especially considering the FCT’s unique status as the nation’s capital, they expressed confidence in Wike’s ability to persuade President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and key lawmakers to support what they described as a historic and transformative initiative.

“Those who make this happen will be immortalised in history,” Isaac stated. “This will be a landmark event, and the national conversation around the bill is likely to shape Nigeria’s political discourse for decades—if not centuries—to come.”