Residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), represented by the Abuja Original Inhabitants Youths and Empowerment Organisation (AOIYEO), have warned northern geopolitical leaders to cease any attempt to perpetuate the marginalisation of FCT citizens for their own interests.
In a statement signed by the organisation’s president, Commandant David Isaac, the group asserted that they have credible information indicating that these leaders are actively working to undermine the possibility of a gubernatorial election in the FCT.
David expressed concern that such actions are intended to strip FCT natives of their political control, questioning, “What benefits have the people of FCT derived from their previous control over it?”
“The people of the FCT are prepared to defend our rights fiercely. How long must we endure this sabotage of our quest for political freedom?
“Enough of this political enslavement. We have matured and are ready to determine our present, future, and the wellbeing of our community. We call upon these leaders to abandon their practices of political subjugation and oppression,” he said.
He stated that FCT residents refuse to be treated as second-class citizens in their own homeland and that the indigenous people of Abuja aspire to enjoy genuine democracy, echoing the principle of ‘government of the people, by the people, and for the people.’
“We seek a government for our people, by our people. Our northern leaders should not fear losing control of the FCT if they are genuinely committed to our welfare. They ought to welcome this new development with open arms,” he stated.
“Thus, we appeal to patriotic Nigerians to advise these so-called leaders, in the spirit of fairness, peace, and unity, to allow FCT residents to overcome this recurring disenfranchisement every four years.”
David lamented that after each presidential election in Nigeria, FCT residents often find themselves sidelined in subsequent elections, a situation perpetuated by these self-serving leaders. “They must allow the indigenous people of FCT to exercise their political rights,” he concluded.
