The FCT Area Council Service Secretariat has issued a one-week ultimatum to ruling families in Wako, in Kwali Area Council to appear for resolution of the lingering chieftaincy crisis in the community.
Mrs Omolola Olanipekun, Acting Secretary, Area Council Service Secretariat, at a news briefing on Thursday in Abuja, warned all parties involved in the crisis to ensure that the problem was solved within a week.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that after the death of Alhaji Ibrahim Usman, Etsu Mi Wako in April, three ruling houses of Kaura-Etso, Wunu-Ogo and Wunu-Aga laid claims to the throne.
Hence, FCT’s intervention to ensure that the selection process was conducted in a transparent manner.
Olanipekun stressed that failure of any of the parties to appear for the meeting, will forced the administration to take decision on the facts available.
She stated that the FCT administration would do everything possible to ensure that peace reign in the community before and after the selection of the new traditional ruler.
The acting secretary explained that the one-week grace was to avoid rancour among the ruling families in view of the prevailing situation in the country.
” Today has been fixed to do what is expected of us by the office of the Minister of State FCT, Dr Ramatu Aliyu.
” We are to do what is supposed to be done, that is, to conduct elections in the presence of the King makers and all other critical stakeholders so that we can see a transparent exercise.
” And communicate to the FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu that her directive has been carried out.
“But unfortunately, the situation we are seeing here now is that, only one faction honoured our invitation.
” In view of that fact, we are giving a grace period of one-week to engage in consultations with other stakeholders,” she said.
Olanipekun noted that the administration does not intended to allow the process linger for long because it was not in the interest of the community.
“To avoid rancour and in view of the present situation in the country, what we will do is to extend this exercise by one-week.
” And if they fail to honour our invitation at the expiration of one-week, then we will know the right action to take,” the acting secretary said.
She appreciated those who honoured the invitation, saying ” unfortunately two factions are not here, we need to find out so we will not give room to speculations.
” We want to appeal to you to bear with us for the grace of one more time, to bring everybody on board,” she added.
However, Alhaji Adamu Usman, Magaji Wako, and Secretary to the King Makers, expressed concerns over the prolonged delay in the selection of a new chief.
He pledged the readiness of the king makers to come up with a transparent and peaceful process that would lead to the emergence of a new chief in the community.
He noted that the laws provided a limited time for the selection of the chief.
“I don’t understand why the other factions are undermining the functions of the Area Council Service Secretariat.
” The department of Chieftaincy should go into the books and bring out the White Paper so that we can put an end to this matter,” he said.(NAN)
