Mediaage NG News – Abuja, Nigeria
The Nigerian Presidency has in a statement quashed rumours speculating that plans are underway to move the country’s capital back to Lagos.
The speculation began before President Bola Tinubu assumed office in May, 2023 but, became rife this week after the country’s Ministry of Aviation announced that the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and th banking supervision department of the Central Bank will be moved to Lagos.
The Ministry said the relocation was purely administrative.
The Office of the Presidency blamed political opponents for the rumours, saying “there is no iota of truth” in them.
“The people pushing the relocation narrative are playing dangerous politics, to pit the north against the south. Such rumours are caused by mischief-makers bent on fuelling needless ethnic mistrust”, Bayo Onanuga, a presidential adviser who issued the statement, said.
“President Tinubu-led administration is working tirelessly to be just and equitable to every section of the country”, Mr Onanuga added.
Lagos was once Nigeria’s capital and was moved to Abuja in 1991 because, it is in the centre of the country, while Lagos is on the south-west region
Although, Lagos remains the country’s economic hub and biggest city.
Nigeria is made up of the north, mainly Muslims and south, largely Christians – with more than 250 ethnic groups between the two regions speaking more than 500 languages.