President Bola Tinubu’s administration vehemently denied unfounded claims suggesting plans to relocate the Federal Capital back to Lagos.
The statement addressed the deliberate misinterpretation of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s decision to move its Department of Banking Supervision to Lagos and the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development’s directive for the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to return its head office to Lagos.
The administration highlighted the deceptive nature of these rumors, tracing them back to the electioneering period last year when political opponents sought various means to undermine Tinubu’s candidacy.
The renewed narrative attempts to leverage recent administrative decisions, portraying them as a pretext for an illusory capital relocation.
Critics pushing this narrative were characterized as dishonest ethnic and regional champions, aiming to sow discord and draw attention to themselves.
The administration emphasized that the status of Abuja as the Federal Capital is legally binding and irrevocable.
The relocation of FAAN to Lagos, according to the statement, is merely an administrative adjustment that should not be misconstrued as a shift in the Federal Capital.
The agency will maintain a presence in Abuja, with the move being a reflection of Lagos’s significance as the commercial capital and aviation hub of Nigeria.
Similarly, the movement of the Department of Banking Supervision of the CBN to Lagos was rationalized as a non-controversial decision, given that most commercial banks, the primary focus of the department, have their headquarters in Lagos.
The administration pointed out that several parastatals, such as NIMASA and NPA, have their headquarters in Lagos, and the locations are determined by their mandates. The statement emphasized that these administrative decisions should not be politicized, especially by those genuinely interested in the country’s well-being.
Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, urged restraint, emphasizing the administration’s commitment to fairness and equity across all regions.
The statement concluded by condemning rumor mongering as a disservice to the nation’s aspirations for good governance that positively impacts citizens’ lives.