Northern Group Asks FG to Declare Lagos, Rivers as Additional FCTs
The Growth and Development of Northern Nigeria (GDNN) has called on the Federal Government to designate Lagos and Rivers States as Federal Capital Territories. The organisation argued that these two cities, as critical economic hubs, house national assets that deserve federal protection and equitable access by all Nigerians. During a press conference in Abuja on Friday, Haruna Buhari, Acting Secretary of GDNN’s Public Policy Advocacy Unit, disclosed that the resolution emerged from the group’s 18th Steering Committee meeting held on April 9, 2025. He emphasized that granting Lagos and Port Harcourt similar status to Abuja would resolve recurring political tensions and extend equal opportunities to all citizens, in line with the nation’s founding promises. Buhari recalled the commitment made in 1975 by then Head of State, General Murtala Ramat Muhammed, to develop Abuja while designating Lagos, Kaduna, and Enugu as “Special Areas” in connection to the new Federal Capital City. He argued that limiting federal capital privileges solely to Abuja treats the North unfairly, despite its longstanding concessions to other regions. GDNN also urged the 19 northern governors to negotiate governance conditions that provide preferential treatment to citizens of Niger, Kogi, Nasarawa, and Kaduna States—areas whose lands contributed significantly to the formation of the current Federal Capital Territory. The group did not stop at constitutional matters but also expressed strong concerns over the current state of the Nigerian Senate. Citing the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, and referencing earlier instances involving the late Senator Nuhu Aliyu, Senator Ali Ndume, and Senator Abdul Ningi, GDNN accused the Senate leadership of using its internal rules to suppress northern voices. Buhari warned against the reckless abuse of executive privilege, pointing out that most victims of such political actions have been Northern senators, which raises troubling questions about bias and fairness in legislative governance. Further addressing national concerns, GDNN criticized the Central Bank of Nigeria’s recent policy to tighten the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR), labeling it counterproductive to economic growth and inflation control. Buhari also urged the Federal Government to sever ties with entities resembling the now-dissolved United States Agency for International Development (USAID), stressing the need for Nigeria to define its development priorities independently. He raised alarms over a flawed legal framework that criminalizes legitimate large-cash transactions, especially in open markets, and drew urgent attention to the looming environmental and health crisis at the Mpape landfill dumpsite in Abuja, calling for immediate government intervention.
