Supreme Court Delivers Judgment on FCT Senatorial District Dispute

Nigeria’s Supreme Court has issued a landmark judgment clarifying the constitutional status of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja as a senatorial district, ending years of legal ambiguity that had affected representation for FCT residents.

The seven-member panel ruled unanimously that FCT residents are entitled to full senatorial representation, ordering the National Assembly to make legislative provisions within 180 days.

The decision has far-reaching implications for the approximately 4 million registered voters in Abuja who have long argued they receive inferior political representation compared to residents of the 36 states.

Civil society groups described the ruling as a long overdue correction of a democratic deficit.

Written by

Kunle Balogun