Aggrieved indigenes of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, on Tuesday, July 30, 2019, petitioned the Senate over alleged neglect of the area in the nomination and appointment of ministers.
The FCT indigenes in the petition endorsed by the Leader, Coalition of FCT indigenous Associations, Ezekiel Dalhatu Musa, asked the Senate to prevail on President Muhammadu Buhari, to recognise the FCT in the appointment of ministers.
The petition marked “A petition on the gross violation and utter disregard for the constitution in appointment of federal ministers by President Muhammadu Buhari” was presented by the Senator representing FCT, Senator Philip Aduda.
The petitioners said, “Recall that the non-inclusion of an FCT native in the ministerial appointments since our current democratic dispensation has been a matter of national discourse with some citing constitutional lacuna as the factor responsible for the non-appointment of an FCT native as minister into the Federal Executive Council while we as natives have never enjoined such school of thought as the barrier hindering our political inclusion and democratization of the FCT.
“Our advocacy on the inclusion of FCT native has been a loud agitation and we write to inform the National Assembly as the people’s assembly to wade into our ceaseless calls to Mr. President to appoint one of our own into the highest decision-making council in this country.
“Even though our belief holds that the President could appoint any of us as a minister into his cabinet requires just political will and demonstration of equity and fairness to the Abuja Original Inhabitants, we have gone legally and lawfully to garner more constitutional backing by challenging the perceived lacuna and a Court of Appeal which is of competent jurisdiction to hear this matter.
“It granted judgement mandating the President to as a matter of justice appoint FCT native immediately into his cabinet since 15th January, 2018 while the President has been served this Judgement by the Court of Appeal since 22nd March, 2018 but yet the President has not complied with the judgement.
“We are once more seeking your intervention and the intervention of the highly revered Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to come to our aid because we are perceiving hatred against us from the President who is supposed to be a father to all.
“A prompt appointment of an FCT native into the Federal Executive Council as minister will not tear nor under develop this country but will rather enrich and strengthen our democratic belief as a nation.
“We have kept peace with everybody in this city and we don’t intend to change the status because we are a lawfully enlightened people and we appeal to you as the number three citizen and representative of the people to come to our aid and prevail on Mr. President to appoint an FCT native as a minister.
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