Civil Society Urges President Tinubu to Intervene in FCT Governance Crisis

A civil society organization, the Peoples Alliance for Indigenous Rights (PAIR), has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for intervention amidst what it describes as a governance crisis in Nigeria's capital city.

According to Adolor Asoro, the National Coordinator of PAIR, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is facing severe challenges. Asoro pointed out that workers are currently on strike, and the FCT Minister has opted for legal action instead of dialogue. The statement also recalled a prior situation where primary schools in the FCT were closed for over three months due to the Minister's inability to resolve a dispute with teachers and area councils, resulting in the loss of an academic term for pupils.

PAIR also noted that resident doctors recently ended their industrial action, but other health workers remain on strike, posing a risk to the health of Abuja's inhabitants. The group further stated that public water supply has been delivering untreated water since November 2025 because funds have not been released to the water board, putting residents in significant danger.

Furthermore, secondary school students are facing difficulties in preparing for external examinations as teachers and past exam markers have not received payment since the previous year. The organization highlighted a decline in health facilities within the FCT and an increase in refuse on major streets due to the non-payment of sanitation workers.

“The crime rate is at an all-time high, which reflects negatively on the president’s global efforts to position Abuja as a destination of choice for meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions,” Asoro stated, linking the security situation to the nation's international image.