Controversy Erupts Regarding Relocation of Federal Agencies to Lagos
Northern senators’ showed displeasure yesterday, stating their position on the relocation of federal agencies to Lagos from Abuja.
The senators had, aside from expressing angst against relocation of agencies, also protested what they described as lopsided allocation between the North and South in the 2024 budget, arguing that the development was designed to further under-develop the North.
But regional groups, such as the Yoruba socio-cultural and political organisation, Afenifere, the Middle Belt Forum, MBF, flayed the senators for giving the impression that Nigeria wasn’t yet a nation, stressing that what was paramount was the result.
It will be recalled that the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, had also expressed the same position as the Northern senators.
The CBN’s decision is by no means isolated or normal administrative action to fix some logistics problem. Rather, it fits into a disturbing pattern of antagonistic actions often taken by certain federal administrations against the interests of Northern and other parts of Nigeria.
The CBN’s announcement was followed by another from the Federal Ministry of Aviation’s Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN’s plans to also relocate to Lagos due to shortage of office claim of the volume of traffic handled by Lagos.
‘’The proposed actions of the two agencies, CBN and FAAN, are precipitous and mala fide,” said ACF in a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Professor Tukur Baba.
Similarly, senators from the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT under the aegis of Northern Senators Forum, NSF, also yesterday kicked against the allocation and distribution of funds in the 2024 budget and relocation of some federal agencies to Lagos.
In a statement by the spokesman, Senator Suleiman Kawu Sumaila (NNPP, Kano South), the senators said they had concluded arrangements to engage the executive arm of government, the National Assembly and stakeholders to address the issues.
Sumaila said as representatives of the people, the senators were committed to addressing the the senators were committed to addressing the concerns and feelings of their constituents regarding certain decisions and policies put forth by the Federal Government, including what they described as lopsidedness in the distribution and allocation of resources in the 2024 budget, and relocation of some federal agencies from Abuja to Lagos.
