Local Councils Maladministration & The Need To Revert To Abuja’s Original Status As FCT -By Ifeanyichukwu Mmoh

The federal capital territory (FCT) is a federal territory that is located in central Nigeria. It was created in 1976 (and published in the promulgation of Decree 6 of 1979) from parts of the states of old Kwara, Niger, Kaduna, and Plateau states respectively with the bulk of landmass carved out of Niger state. Unlike the other states of Nigeria which are headed by elected executive governors, the FCT is headed by a minister who is appointed by the president.

Now, this Decree 6 of 1976 gave the federal government of Nigeria right of ownership of the landmass within the territory; thus effectively making it the new capital of the federation to replace the former capital which was Lagos state Nigeria. The FCT comprised of 6 area councils and they are Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Abuja municipal area council (AMAC), Kwali and Abaji respectively. All area councils are headed by executive chairmen as in third tier of government.

The need to have a federal capital that is situated at the heart of the federation prompted the creation of this new territory. And from verifiable sources, the ceding of portions by the 4 states was due to an agreement by the FG to adequately compensate for the native people who are to be moved out of the space. Every educated Nigerian in contemporary civilization understands that by the land act, Nigeria’s 920000 square kilometers land belonged to the FG.

The Akinola Aguda committee report which recommended compensation and proper relocation of natives also served as caveat that signaled transfer of exclusive right of ownership to the FG should the monetary compensation be paid. This means that whatever structure or arrangement that existed before compensation was subject to a review. Specifically, the FCT after becoming a federal territory ought not to have aboriginal people claiming ownership.

Indeed, General Murtala Mohammed’s broadcast which announced the news of Abuja had some interesting notes that l’d like to quote: The area is not within the control of any of the major ethnic groups in the country. We believe that the new capital created on such virgin lands, as suggested, will be for all Nigerians.” Murtala and the proponents of an FCT that situated within central Nigeria borrowed their idea from Washington DC and Paris etc.

In that same broadcast, Nigeria’s head-of-state then took adequate care of any land speculation danger that may arise in the future when he said: In order to avoid land speculation in the area, a decree is being promulgated immediately to vest all land in the federal territory in the federal government. The government of Nigeria also evaluated the cost of compensation and relocation of the aboriginals and assumed the expenses involved.

In October 10, 1977; a deal was signed following the agreement to pay one million naira for the resettlement of natives for the Niger, Plateau and Kwara and, by 1979, it was included in a gazette promulgated in Decree No. 6 authorizing a rate of compensation for households as well as worship centers. Yet, three years later the people were still moving out slowly. Today, what was thoroughly arranged in the spirit of unity has clearly failed to yield needed results.

If the failure was minimal, I may not be writing this piece. I am writing this piece because of the gross incompetence and maladministration of the 6 area councils within the FCT that is clearly occasioned by what was not properly done from the beginning. Like I mentioned earlier, the compensation gave the R of O to the FG as well as power to restructure.

The idea of the FCT – which should be a no-mans-land – reposing in the hands of the aboriginals who claim exclusive right of leadership in the 6 area councils is not a healthy one. If we looked at Washington DC (USA), Paris (France), Brasilia (Brazil), Islamabad (Pakistan) or St. Petersburg (Russia), we would discover that a federal capital territory is the pride of the country; the showroom of any nation.

For Nigeria’s capital – a supposed showroom – to repose in the hands of aboriginals who (are not even legally entitled to the space in the first instance) and who are not interested in working with the vision of the federal government of Nigeria to transform Abuja into a global wonder is nauseating. I have watched area council elections come and go for close to a decade now and, every time elections come; all you hear is ‘no vacancy for outsiders in the council.’

Then, some bunch of folks – who not only laid claims as aboriginals but supervised the sale of virgin landed properties to “outsiders” – assumed administration of the council and would not demonstrate leadership by paying the salaries of the teaching staffs, or provide drugs for the primary health centers or even care to provide infrastructural amenities like road and pipe borne water.

If you visit Mpape, Ushafa, Bwari, Dutse, Kubwa, Dei Dei, Tungan Maje, Kuje, Lugbe, and the Gwagwa and Karmo areas of the FCT, you will not find good road network or pipe borne water. Yet the so-called aboriginals are stewards in the area councils that supervised these places. If the FCT was a no-mans-land; wouldn’t there have been an organized development of this territory by capable persons who are coming from respective backgrounds?

Why – for instance – will the borehole source of water overtake a central water system in a territory that’s supposed to be FCT when it is hazardous for an environment to have numerous sites of wells that could lead to subsidence or minor tremors? How much did it cost the federal government of President Olusegun Obasanjo to finance the Gurara water transfer project in 2004 and what will it cost the council chairmen to carve a central water system from there?

The LEA teaching staffs within the payroll of the respective 6 area councils have not been getting a steady salary for the past 2 years now. Yet, there is verifiable evidence of receipt of a monthly subvention of one hundred and fifty million naira (#150,000000.00) or more by the respective chairmen. In the primary health care, there is no evidence of democratic dividends let alone subsidy for drugs to the grassroots’ people.

Road and culvert infrastructure are neglected not only at the suburbs of these councils but right at the center of the council’s capitals. No public libraries, no good motors parks or market centers for that matter. If the non-aboriginals are elected into any of these local government councils, the narrative would most certainly be different. For if the non-aboriginals believed in the vision of the FG for the FCT to the extent of investing in fixed assets like houses, filling station, hotels etc; they will most certainly be willing to turn Abuja into another Paris!

On the other hand, leaving the FCT in the hands of aboriginal who for the most part have never even travelled out of Abuja or travelled much; leaving Abuja in the hands of people who specialized only in the sale of land, who do not have any viable stake or commitment (like ownership of estates or business ventures) other than that they are aboriginals is dangerous. For the most part, their entrance into the politics of the FCT has visibly stagnated Abuja.     

There is not one of these chairmen who reside in their council; many of them report to their offices from their respective hideouts in places like Asokoro, Maitama and Life Camp. Not one of them is doing any meaningful thing in their councils as I’m writing this piece. Go and verify and let’s read your rejoinder if there will be any. Is this how Abuja will be managed for it to attain the developmental glory envisioned for it?

It is high time we frowned at unlicensed drivers who insist on driving us. It is not too early to revert to Abuja’s original status as FCT (or no-man’s-land) or better still; carve out a federal territory that will leave out places like Madalla and Kwali but include Nyanya and Bwari so that the left out areas can be retained by the aboriginals before a collateral damage of national proportion that no one bargain for robbed us with great shame.

Comrade Ifeanyichukwu Mmoh writes from Abuja 08062577718.