Presidency has debunked rumours claiming that President Bola Tinubu is planning to relocate the Federal capital of Nigeria to Lagos.
Gatekeepers News reports that Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy tagged the claims “baseless and fueled by political opponents during last year’s electioneering.”
Onanuga says that mischief-makers have deliberately misinterpreted the Central Bank of Nigeria’s decision and the Ministry of Aviation’s directive, suggesting President Bola Tinubu plans to relocate the Federal Capital to Lagos.
“We have noticed how mischief-makers, bent on fueling needless ethnic mistrust, have deliberately misinterpreted the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria to relocate its Department of Banking Supervision to Lagos and the directive of the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development that the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria(FAAN) should relocate its head office back to Lagos.
“We consider it necessary to inform Nigerians that there is no iota of truth in the interpretations given to the directives in some quarters and the unfounded claims and rumours that President Bola Tinubu is planning to relocate the Federal Capital back to Lagos.
“These rumours, which first surfaced during the electioneering last year, was sponsored by political opponents looking for all manners of weapons to prevent Asiwaju Tinubu from being elected as president by a section of the country.
“The status of Abuja as the Federal Capital has come to stay. It is backed by law. ”
He clarified that the recent decision to move the Department of Banking Supervision to Lagos and FAAN’s relocation to its former Lagos office is not an indication of moving the Federal Capital to Lagos. It’s a mere administrative adjustment.
Onanuga says those pushing this narrative aim to create discord between the North and South, playing dangerous politics.
“The movement of FAAN, an agency of Aviation Ministry, to Lagos, where it was located before former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, moved it to Abuja during the last administration, does not amount to moving the Federal Capital to Lagos.
“The administrative move should have ordinarily attracted scant attention, as Lagos is the commercial capital and the hub of aviation business in Nigeria. FAAN will still maintain some presence in Abuja. It is not a wholesale movement.
“Similarly, the movement of the Department of Banking Supervision of the CBN to Lagos should not trigger any discord within the polity. The department concerned deals with commercial banks, almost all of which have their headquarters in Lagos.
“All those pushing this campaign of falsehood and misinformation know they are merely playing politics, albeit a dangerous politics, to pit the North against the South.”
Onanuga further stated that various parastatals, like NIMASA and NPA, have headquarters outside Abuja based on their mandates. These administrative decisions should not be politicized.
He assured Nigerians that President Tinubu’s administration is committed to equitable governance. We urge restraint from those spreading rumors, as good governance remains the priority.
“President Tinubu-led administration is working tirelessly to be just and equitable to every section of the country. We urge restraint on the part of those whose stock in trade is to create all manner of dangerous rumours to distract every government from the noble objective of meeting the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians.
Our citizens desire nothing but good governance that positively impacts their lives. Rumour mongering is a pernicious disservice to this ultimate expectation of our people.”
