Nigeria -> Government -> Constitution
1999 C O N S T I T U
T I O N O F
T H E F E D E R A L R E P U B L I C
O F N I G E R I A
CHAPTER VIII
FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA
AND GENERAL SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS
Part
I
Federal
Capital Territory, Abuja
297.
(1)
There shall be a Federal Capital Territory, Abuja the boundaries
of which are as defined in Part II of the First Schedule to
this Constitution.
(2)The ownership of all lands comprised
in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja shall vest in the
Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
298. The
Federal Capital Territory, Abuja shall be the Capital of the
Federation and seat of the Government of the Federation.
299. The
provisions of this Constitution shall apply to the Federal
Capital Territory, Abuja as if it were one of the States of
the Federation; and accordingly -
(a)
all the legislative powers, the executive powers and the judicial
powers vested in the House of Assembly, the Governor of a
State and in the courts of a State shall, respectively, vest
in the National Assembly, the President of the Federation
and in the courts which by virtue of the foregoing provisions
are courts established for the Federal Capital Territory,
Abuja;
(b) all the powers referred to in paragraph
(a) of this section shall be exercised in accordance with
the provisions of this Constitution; and
(c) the provisions of this Constitution
pertaining to the matters aforesaid shall be read with such
modifications and adaptations as may be reasonably necessary
to bring them into conformity with the provisions of this
section.
300. For
the purposes of Chapter V of this Constitution, the Federal
Capital Territory, Abuja shall constitute one Senatorial district
and as many Federal constituencies as it is entitled to under
section 49 of this Constitution.
301. Without
prejudice to the generality of the provisions of section 299
of this Constitution, in its application to the Federal Capital
Territory, Abuja, this Constitution shall be construed as
if-
(a)
references to the Governor, Deputy Governor and the executive
council of a State (howsoever called) were references to the
President, Vice-President and the executive council of the
Federation (howsoever called) respectively;
(b) references to the Chief Judge and Judges
of the High Court of a State were references to the Chief
Judge and Judges of the High Court, which is established
for the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja by the provisions
of this Constitution; and
(c) references to persons, offices and authorities
of a State were references to the persons, offices and authorities
of the Federation with like status, designations and powers,
respectively; and in particular, as if references to the
Attorney-General, Commissioners and the Auditor-General
for a State were references to the Attorney-General, Ministers
and the Auditor-General of the Federation with like status,
designations and powers.
302. The
President may, in exercise of the powers conferred upon him
by section 147 of this Constitution, appoint for the Federal
Capital Territory, Abuja a Minister who shall exercise such
powers and perform such functions as may be delegated to him
by the President, from time to time.
303. The
Federal Capital Territory, Abuja shall comprise six area councils
and the administrative and political structure thereof shall
be as provided by an Act of the National Assembly.
304.
(1)
There shall be for the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, a
Judicial Service Committee of the Federal Capital Territory,
Abuja, the composition and functions of which shall be as
provided in Part III of the Third Schedule to this Constitution.
(2) The provisions of sections 154(1) and
(3), 155, 156, 157(1) and (2), 158(1) and 159 to 161 of
this Constitution shall apply with necessary modifications
to the Judicial Service Committee of the Federal Capital
Territory, Abuja.
