When established in 1976, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was meant to belong equally to all Nigerians. Thus, it was stipulated that its indigenes would be relocated to places in the contiguous states, where they would have indigenous rights. Due largely to its cost implications, the relocation plan was abandoned in 1978, and it was decided to leave the indigenes of the territory there. However, as indigenes of the FCT, they do not have exactly the same sub-national rights as indigenes of the country’s thirty-six states. For instance, unlike indigenes of other states, they cannot elect their own Governor. Besides, they are not statutorily entitled to having a minister in the federal cabinet. Besides, they are much smaller in population than other Nigerian residents of the territory. Thus, in contests for elective offices, they are often eclipsed by Nigerian residents of the territory that are indigenes of other parts of the country. The federal government has been trying to meet some of the demands of the FCT’s indigenes, by, among other things, resettling them and including them in the quota system for appointments in the federal public service. Recently, FCT indigenes have been agitating for separate ethnic communities that can enable them to preserve their culture, and against alleged massive lands alienations by government without compensation. This paper will examine these matters. It will give an outline narrative of the federal government policy towards the indigenes of the FCT. It will highlight the changing realities in their socio-economic and political life. Land acquisition, demolitions and attempts at resettlement will be among the issues considered. These issues will be treated in the context of prevailing international thinking about the social implications of urban development, indigenous rights, and the right of citizens to elect their sub-national leaders.
