Tinubu To Relocate Nigeria’s Capital to Lagos? Senator Shehu Sani Reacts

• Senator Shehu Sani has addressed the rumoured relocation of Nigeria's federal capital from Abuja to Lagos
• The ex-lawmaker said relocating Nigeria's capital is almost impossible as it would require a rigorous constitutional process
• He stated that in the past, the concentration of headquarters of some government agencies was politically driven because of the interest of the person in power

Legit.ng journalist Segun Adeyemi has over 9 years of experience covering political events, civil societies, courts, and metro

FCT, Abuja - Amid rumours that President Bola Tinubu plans to move the federal capital from Abuja to Lagos, Senator Shehu Sani has labelled it a difficult task that requires a constitutional procedure.

Recall that recently, the federal government relocated the headquarters of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to Lagos.

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This move has since stirred mixed reactions from various quarters, with some criticising the move and others giving President Tinubu plaudit for his actions.

In a social media post seen by Legit.ng on Thursday, January 25, Senator Sani stated that:

"Abuja’s status as the Federal Capital of Nigeria is a strong constitutional provision that no individual or group, including the President, can change.

"The status of Abuja can only change if there is a constitutional amendment to that effect, and the cumbersome and controversial process of changing or altering the constitution is well known.

"President Tinubu cannot change the capital of Nigeria to Lagos, and I believe he will not. But we should remind ourselves that there are many federal establishments that are not headquartered in the FCT; example is that NECO HQ is in Minna, NBTE is in Kaduna, NDDC is in PH, and Nigerian Railway HQ is still in Ebute Meta, Lagos."

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Political interest and relocation of HQs

He, however, noted that some headquarters had been deliberately cited in Abuja due to the political interest of leaders in the past.

Senator Sani said:

"...some of the Agencies are still outside Abuja because their Abuja Headquarters building is yet to be built."

He further stated that people were entitled to their opinion about a possible relocation of the nation's capital to Lagos but urged lawmakers in the national assembly to begin deliberations on this issue for clarity.

Presidency reacts to rumoured relocation of Nigeria's capital from Abuja to Lagos

Meanwhile, the presidency has denied a report that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu plans to relocate the nation's capital to Lagos.

Bayo Onanuga, special adviser on Information and Strategy to President Tinubu, said the rumour started during the 2023 election.

Onanuga also explained why some CBN departments and the FAAN headquarters moved to Lagos.

Source: Legit.ng