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• Calls for greater ethnic representation in FCT administration
• Endorses Aduda, Gabaya, Chiya for 2027 elections
The Renewed Hope Ambassador Coordinator for President Bola Tinubu in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abdullahi Adamu Candido, has declared that indigenous communities in Abuja are enjoying unprecedented government attention under the Tinubu administration, urging residents to sustain their support for the President’s re-election in 2027.
Candido said the administration had given indigenous people and other residents a stronger sense of belonging through development projects and increased engagement with communities, describing the government as the most responsive to the needs of FCT residents in the history of the territory.
He attributed the development to President Tinubu’s leadership and the implementation of his policies by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
Candido spoke at the FCT Stakeholders Assembly in Abuja, where traditional rulers, political leaders, area council chairmen, indigenous communities and other residents endorsed Tinubu for a second term.
The gathering also endorsed Senator Philip Tanimu Aduda for the FCT senatorial seat, John Gabaya for Abuja North Federal Constituency and former Kwali Area Council Chairman, Danladi Chiya, for Abuja South Federal Constituency.
Assessing successive administrations in the territory, the former Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) chairman said the current government had surpassed its predecessors in bringing governance and democratic dividends closer to the people.
“Your coming to Abuja remains a blessing to the good people of the Federal Capital Territory. Some of us have seen successive administrations in Abuja, but we have never seen an administration that provided democratic dividends and brought government so close to the people as the administration of Mr President through you, the Minister,” he said.
He listed indigenous groups, including the Gbagyi, Gana-Gana, Ibira, Koro, Hausa, Gaide and Bassa, as communities that were beginning to experience greater recognition and representation under the administration.
Candido, who said he had toured the 17 graded chiefdoms in the FCT in his capacity as Renewed Hope Ambassador, maintained that traditional rulers and their communities had witnessed the impact of the minister’s development initiatives.
However, he urged Wike to deepen the administration’s inclusive governance agenda by ensuring that the nine traditional chiefdoms and Nigerians from different ethnic backgrounds residing in Abuja were adequately represented in the next administration.
He argued that governance in the nation’s capital should reflect its diverse population, stressing that non-indigenous residents should also have a sense of belonging.
Recalling his experience as AMAC chairman, Candido said he had deliberately promoted ethnic balance in appointments, disclosing that his first vice-chairman was Igbo, his council secretary during his first term was Hausa, while a Yoruba person occupied the position during his second term.
“I believe in inclusivity. I made sure that among the cabinet, we had representation from every shade of opinion in and background,” he said.
The Renewed Hope coordinator also appealed to residents to place the collective interest of the territory above partisan considerations, expressing concern that some politicians were allegedly undermining the administration despite benefiting from its interventions.
He cited an incident at Barnex Plaza in Abuja as an example of what he considered political opposition to the government’s activities, questioning why beneficiaries of its development efforts would oppose it on account of political affiliations.
Candido also cautioned Wike and other political stakeholders against being misled by individuals who publicly profess support for the administration but allegedly work against it behind the scenes.
“Some politicians can be very dishonest. What they say is not exactly what is in them. We have pretenders, and we have to speak out so that we can identify those who are truly working with and supporting you, and those who are behind the scenes trying to do the other way,” he said.
On the 2027 legislative elections, Candido described Aduda as the best senator the FCT had produced, insisting that his record in office distinguished him from previous representatives.
“Senator Aduda will go into history as the best senator ever produced in the Federal Capital Territory. We had resident senators and indigenous senators in the past; their records are there. Senator Philip Aduda’s record is here, and everybody can see it,” he said.
He urged residents to translate their appreciation of the Tinubu administration into electoral support, insisting that the opportunity to consolidate the government’s interventions should not be squandered.
Candido expressed confidence that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would win the 2027 elections, pledging the full support of the Renewed Hope movement for Tinubu’s re-election.
“By the grace of God, APC is going to win this election 100 per cent, and we are not going to regret it,” he said.
