Indigenes of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have called on the Federal Government to implement court judgment that granted it the right to be appointed minister of the FCT.
Mr Kamal Shuaibu, the Coordinator of the Coalition of FCT indigenes said this during a protest to the National Assembly on Tuesday in Abuja.
The coalition called on the members of National Assembly to also prevail on the Federal Government to ensure that the judgment of the Court of Appeal was implemented.
He said the struggle and battle of the FCT natives for political recognition by the Federal Government four decades ago since the creation of Abuja as the FCT had yielded no result.
“The last of such struggle before the judicial victory is the move by our representatives at the National Assembly to amend Section 147 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.’’
He said the amendment was to clearly make provision for ministerial slot for the people of the FCT but was rejected by the lower chamber having been passed by the upper chamber.
“While we were brainstorming on the next step to take after the ugly development, the Court of Appeal handed down this historical judgment and granted us a landslide victory,” he said.
He said the judiciary had rekindled its hope via the Court of Appeal, while reaffirming that the judiciary was the last hope of the common man
The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja led by Justice Wilson Komolafe had on Jan. 15, granted the FCT indigenes the right to be appointed Minister of the FCT.
Read Also:
Appeal No. CA/A/412/2016, the court declared as follows: That the FCT natives are entitled to ministerial representation in the Federal Executive Council as provided by the provision of Section 147,299, 14 (3) and 42 of the 1999 Constitution of the FRN.
“That the persistent denial and refusal of past and current president to so appoint an indigene of FCT Abuja as a minister in the Federal Executive Council since May 1999 is tantamount to a gross violation of the said constitution.’’
The judgment also said that the President should with immediate effect appoint FCT native as a minster of the FRN.
Sen. Shehu Sanni, Kaduna Central, while speaking on behalf of the Senators said NASS had already received their protest letter, adding that government was in their land and it would be unfair not to carry them along.
“It is very painful that such thing is happening, we will deliver your message and extend your grievances to the leadership of the Senate
“We identify with you, the issue you have raised is very clear, it is a gross injustice because there is no better way to express yourself than this protest you have embarked on,” he said.
He however said that the Senate would do all within its constitutional power to ensure the issue raised was addressed.
“You voluntarily gave your land and we have seen the level of marginalisation and believe you deserved a better thing,’’ he said.
He assured that the Senate would ensure that one of the indigenes would be appointed by the president in the next ministerial appointment.
Sen. Theodore Orji, Abia Central said that the National Assembly felt their pain and assured the FCT indigene that the pain would soon be wiped away.
“This is a government that prides itself with change and the change must come by appointing one of your own as minister,’’ he said.
