Presidency Dispels Allegations of Moving Federal Capital to Lagos

By Iyojo Ameh

In response to recent speculations, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, categorically refuted claims of plans to relocate the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to Lagos State.

Onanuga, in a statement released via X on Wednesday, dismissed the reports as the work of dishonest individuals with ethnic and regional biases, aiming to garner attention for themselves.

He clarified that similar rumors had circulated during the 2023 presidential campaign as an attempt to thwart Tinubu’s candidacy.

According to Onanuga, the FCT’s establishment in Abuja is legally grounded and firmly established, emphasizing that the recent relocation of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to Lagos does not equate to moving the FCT.

The statement emphasized, “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.”

Onanuga criticized those behind the renewed speculations, stating they were engaging in dangerous politics to create divisions between the North and South.

He argued that administrative decisions, such as the movement of FAAN and certain departments of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to Lagos, were not to be politicized.

“Let’s stop the dirty politics. We can’t be playing politics with everything”, the statement also said.