Original inhabitants and residents of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, have distanced themselves from Friday’s anti-government protest at the Shehu Shagari Central Mosque in Area 1, Garki, Abuja, dismissing the demonstration as an opposition-sponsored political stunt.
In a press statement issued on Saturday, the Supreme Leader of FCT Youths, Ambassador Isaac David, accused political opponents of importing hired protesters from outside the capital to boo President Bola Tinubu and smear the administration of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
The reaction follows viral videos from Friday’s Juma’at service showing some worshippers and youths chanting slogans such as “Tinubu Must Go”, “Ba ma so” and “Ba ma yi” as the presidential convoy departed the mosque premises.
Addressing the development, David maintained that the individuals captured in the viral footage were neither original inhabitants nor genuine voters in the territory.
He alleged that the protesters were mobilized into Abuja from neighbouring states after information circulated about the President’s scheduled visit to the mosque.
David said, “Those individuals do not represent FCT natives, they do not represent FCT youths, and they certainly do not speak for the genuine voters of the territory.
“Information available to us indicates that they were brought into the FCT from different states following the announcement that Mr President would observe Friday prayers at the mosque. We believe they were sponsored to create negative publicity, mislead Nigerians and portray the President as unpopular.”
The youth leader stressed that the demonstration must not be misconstrued as the collective position of indigenous communities, arguing that outsiders imported for political drama cannot determine the political direction of Abuja’s original inhabitants.
He further accused opposition elements of attempting to exploit the incident to drive a wedge between FCT residents and the federal government by questioning Wike’s performance as minister.
According to him, the campaign was deliberately choreographed to generate negative social media content and create the false impression that the FCT Minister has failed to deliver on his development promises.
David stated; “The opposition wants to exploit this incident for cheap political advantage. Their intention is to deceive Nigerians, gain popularity on social media and discredit the good work of President Tinubu through the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Chief Nyesom Wike.
“They also want to portray the minister as someone who has done nothing for the territory and cannot fulfil his promises. We reject that narrative. The actions of a few individuals cannot erase the realities of development in our communities or determine the position of the original inhabitants.”
Reaffirming the political stance of the Abuja Original Inhabitants Youth Empowerment Organisation, AOIYEO, David declared that indigenous communities remain solidly behind Tinubu’s second-term ambition.
He vowed that the group would mobilize grassroots support across all six area councils to deliver 65 per cent of FCT votes for the President in the 2027 general elections.
He added; “Our commitment remains firm. We have promised and vowed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must receive 65 per cent of our votes in the FCT in 2027.
“This is not merely a political slogan. It is our commitment to a President whom we believe has demonstrated concern for the original inhabitants through the Renewed Hope agenda.”
The FCT youth leader also called on political parties and their supporters to exercise restraint and avoid exploiting isolated incidents to heighten tension ahead of the 2027 polls.
He urged residents to be cautious about sharing unverified claims on social media, noting that peaceful coexistence, infrastructure development and genuine representation of indigenous communities must take precedence over political propaganda.
