Pastor Danladi Jeji, President of the Organization for the Improvement of the Development of Abuja (OIDA), has expressed deep gratitude to the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) for addressing the long-standing political marginalization of natives and residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In a statement, Pastor Jeji praised the ACF for acknowledging the issue of statelessness faced by FCT residents and for supporting the broader call for equity, justice, peace, development, and national unity.
He described the ACF’s stance as a major milestone in the decades-long struggle of FCT natives to be recognized as equal citizens in Nigeria’s democratic system.
While commending the Forum, Pastor Jeji urged the ACF to remain steadfast in supporting political reforms that will ensure the full inclusion of FCT residents. He specifically called for the democratization of the FCT—emphasizing the right to elect a governor by 2027.
Citing the example of Lagos becoming the commercial capital in 1976, he argued that the FCT should be granted equal democratic status as Nigeria’s political capital.
He appealed to the National Assembly and INEC to facilitate reforms including:
- The election of a governor for the FCT
- The allocation of four senatorial seats—one for the city center and three for the surrounding areas
- Eight seats in the House of Representatives
- The expansion of local governments from six to 17
- The establishment of an FCT Development Commission to serve the over 858 communities identified in the 2008 MDGs report
Pastor Jeji said the renewed advocacy is restoring hope and a sense of belonging to FCT natives, invoking patriotic sentiments with a reimagined national anthem:
“Nigeria, we hail thee,
Our own dear native land (FCT land),
Though tribe and tongue may differ,
In brotherhood we stand,
Nigerians all, are proud to serve
Our sovereign Motherland.”
He reaffirmed the commitment of FCT residents to participate fully in Nigeria’s democratic process, describing the 2027 elections as a pivotal moment for justice, inclusion, and equal representation.
