Not a Borrowed Candidate, But a Grown Voice of the FCT

In every election season, the Federal Capital Territory is often treated as a political convenience – an afterthought, a temporary base, or a borrowed platform. Candidates appear when it is time to contest and disappear once power is secured. But the FCT deserves more than borrowed ambition. It deserves a grown voice.

Senator Philip Tanimu Aduda is not a borrowed candidate. He is a product of the Federal Capital Territory shaped by its communities, its struggles, and its aspirations. From old-Karu to the National Assembly, his political journey reflects not relocation, but roots; not opportunism, but continuity.

Unlike those who arrive with ready-made slogans, Senator Aduda understands the FCT because he has lived its realities. He began his public service at the grassroots level, serving as a councillor and later in leadership positions within the Area Council system. That early exposure gave him firsthand knowledge of the everyday concerns of residents, education access, infrastructure gaps, youth development, and governance inclusion.

His election to the House of Representatives and later the Senate was not accidental. It was the natural progression of a leader whose voice had already been tested and trusted by the people. Over the years, he has consistently carried the unique concerns of the FCT into national conversations at times when the territory risked being drowned out by louder state interests.

Being a grown voice means more than longevity. It means institutional memory, knowing what has been tried, what has worked, and what must be protected. Senator Aduda’s legislative focus on building educational and governance institutions for the FCT reflects this maturity. Roads may be repaired and projects commissioned, but institutions shape generations. That is the difference between presence and purpose.

The FCT is not a state, yet it bears national responsibilities. It requires a representative who understands its special status, its administrative complexity, and its need for consistent advocacy at the centre. This is where experience matters  not as old politics, but as earned authority.

To replace a grown voice with a borrowed one is to risk losing influence, continuity, and the confidence that comes with seniority in national decision-making. The FCT cannot afford to start over every election cycle.

As the people prepare to decide once again, the choice is not just about names on a ballot. It is about identity, representation, and voice.
The Federal Capital Territory does not need a visitor.

It needs its own voice.
A grown voice.

A voice that has been here, stayed here, and spoken here

Philip Tanimu Aduda.

Written by:

Lilyan Simi Yepwi
A.K.A The Senator’s Daughter