By Naomi Sharang
The indigenous inhabitants of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Monday in Abuja, sought the support of the National Assembly (NASS) on their quest for the establishment of a mayoralty for the territory.
Chief Lazarus Nyaholo, the Secretary, Garki Traditional Council, made the call at a news conference organised in collaboration with Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA), a Civil Society Organisation (CSO).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, had on Feb. 23, laid before the senate the report on the Alteration to the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Nyaholo, in his remarks said that there were two areas of importance to the group — “Section 303 is on ‘Establishment of the Office of Mayor of FCT-Abuja.
“There shall be for the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, a Mayor who shall be the Chief Executive of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja Administration. Of a great interest to us are two areas of the amendment which directly affect the original inhabitants of the FCT.
“Sections 297 to 307 to be replaced by Establishment of a Mayoralty for FCT with an elected Mayor and Mayoral Assembly.
“Section 147(1) that deals with appointment into Federal Executive Council (that is Ministers) The clause that provides for appointment of “Ministers at least one each from the 36 states of the Federation” is to be amended to add “and the FCT.”
Nyaholo said that by this provision, that the people of the FCT wOULD have a representation in the Federal Executive Council.
“Let me however, make it very clear that we are not asking for an original inhabitant of FCT to be appointed as a Minister of FCT but a member of the Federal Executive Council who can also be posted to any ministry to serve.
“If the Mayoral Council is established, the office of the FCT Minister will automatically seize to exist.
“In the light of the foregoing, we appeal to all the members of the National Assembly to vote yes for the amendment of these sections of the constitution.”
Executive Director, CTA, Ms Faith Nwadishi, said that the campaign for National Assembly to vote yes for all the clauses that affect the FCT” is also the campaign for ‘the One Nigeria’ we all preach.
“If we say this is the Centre of Unity, we ought to also work the talk.
“CTA in the last four months have been implementing this project, the promotion of the rights of the original inhabitants.” (NAN)
