After the Abuja area councils delivered overwhelming support for Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the recent local elections, Nyesom Wike announced a significant upgrade for traditional rulers across the Federal Capital Territory, promoting several second- and third-class chiefs within the FCT Council of Chiefs.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory confirmed the decision while addressing residents during a visit to Abaji. Wike thanked the community for supporting candidates of the All Progressives Congress in the area council elections.
Under the new arrangement, all second-class chiefs in the FCT will be elevated to first-class status, while third-class chiefs will be promoted to second-class positions within the council of chiefs.
“We sat down with you and requested that you support Tinubu and that the support should begin with the area council elections. The election was held on Feb. 21, and you fulfilled your promise. You came out in your numbers and gave Tinubu 133 out of the 135 polling units in the area council. What else can we say but thank you? Now that you have done your own, we will do our own too. Abaji people have spoken, and they have spoken very well.”
“All I want from you is to continue to support Mr President, and you will see many good things”
According to the minister, the promotions are both a gesture of appreciation and a recognition of the continued influence traditional institutions have in grassroots politics.
The proposal for the upgrades was initially raised by the Ona of Abaji and chairman of the FCT Council of Chiefs, Adamu Yunusa. He had earlier commended Wike for promoting the Etsu of Kwali, Luka Nizassan III, to the rank of first-class chief; an elevation many traditional leaders in the territory had hoped previous administrations would implement.
Yunusa said the decision showed that the minister recognised the importance of traditional institutions in Nigerian society.
However, he also pushed for broader reforms. He suggested that more deserving second-class chiefs be elevated to first-class status while third-class chiefs move up to second-class rank. According to him, such changes would allow more traditional rulers to play an active role within the FCT Council of Chiefs.
Beyond titles and rankings, Yunusa also raised practical concerns. He appealed to the minister to support the construction of a new palace suitable for the chairman of the council of chiefs, one that reflects the culture and heritage of the FCT.
In response, Wike directed the chairman of the Abaji Area Council, Abubakar Abdullahi, to prepare a design for the proposed palace.
Traditional leaders also requested the establishment of a liaison office in Abuja’s city centre to help them maintain easier communication with the government.
