The Conspiracy Is Political – Bwala Reacts To Rumored Plan Of Relocating Federal Capital To Lagos

Former Presidential aide, Daniel Bwala has reacted to the alleged plan to move the Federal Capital Territory from Abuja to Lagos.

Bwala, a former member of the Peoples Democratic Party 2023 Presidential Campaign, insisted that the rumour was political.

He made the remark while reacting to the relocation of some departments of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) from Abuja to Lagos.

Speaking via X, Bwala wrote, “I honestly think the hoopla around the conspiracy that the movement of FAAN and some departments of CBN to Lagos as plans to move headquarters of Nigeria to Lagos is merely political.

“Because there are many other departments and agencies of government that are not in Abuja but in their suitable locations. Abuja would remain the capital of Nigeria.”

Presidency Clarifies Tinubu’s Purported Plan To Move Federal Capital To Lagos

Meanwhile, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has debunked reports that plans are underway to move the Federal Capital Territory to Lagos State.

Naija News reports that Onanuga, in a statement via X on Wednesday, described those peddling the reports as dishonest, ethnic and regional champions, attempting to draw attention to themselves.

He noted that the rumour had made rounds during the presidential campaign in 2023 to stop Tinubu’s presidency, but it was trashed.

According to Onanuga, Abuja, as the FCT is backed by law and has come to stay, adding the movement of FAAN, a department of the Aviation Ministry, to Lagos does not amount to moving the FCT to Lagos.

The statement reads, “President Tinubu has no plan whatsoever to move the Federal Capital to Lagos. The rumour first surfaced during the campaign last year by opponents looking for all manners of weapons to stop him. We trashed it.

“Those peddling it anew are dishonest, ethnic and regional champions, trying to draw attention to themselves. Abuja has come to stay. It is backed by law.

“The movement of FAAN, a department of Aviation Ministry to Lagos, where it was based before former minister Hadi Sirika moved it to Abuja during the last administration, does not amount to moving the FCT to Lagos. The administrative move should have attracted scant attention, as Lagos is the commercial capital and the hub of aviation business in Nigeria. FAAN should be no where else but near the industry it regulates. FAAN will still maintain some presence in Abuja, as it is not a wholesale movement.

“Similarly, the movement of some departments of the CBN to Lagos should not trigger any hoopla. The departments concerned, including the bank supervision department, are those dealing with commercial banks, all with headquarters in Lagos. A regulator ought to be close to the businesses it regulates.

“All those pushing this campaign of falsehood know they are playing politics, albeit a dangerous politics to pit the North against the South.

“There are many parastatals that are not based in Abuja depending on their mandate. NIMASA is in Lagos. So is NPA. National Inland Waterways Authority( NIWA) is in Lokoja, not Abuja. Will the people opposing the movement of FAAN and some CBN departments want those agencies to be in Abuja, where there is no single port and no maritime activity?
Administrative decisions should not be politicized. Let it not look like whenever we are temporarily not at the helm of affairs, we create all manners of dangerous rumours to distract from the bigger picture and emasculate an administration led by a southerner. Let’s stop the dirty politics. We can’t be playing politics with everything.”