Give FCT minister’s portfolio to Jisalo – natives begs Tinubu.
…Lauds FCT stakeholders for closing ranks.
By Sadiq Abubakar, Abuja.
Natives of the Federal Capital Territory, FT, under the umbrella of the Original Inhabitants Association of Abuja (OIDA) has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for breaking the jinx in nominating a native, Zaphaniah Jisalo as his cabinet minister, appealing to him to give the FCT minister’s portfolio to the nominee.
In a statement by OIDA president, Pastor Danladi Jeji, which was signed by media adviser of the association, Sumner Shagari Sambo, and made available to newsmen in Abuja, in Sunday, suggested that, FCT minister’s portfolio should be rotated to other geopolitical zones under the present dispensation, incase it is not feasible by the president’s calculation.
He noted that, the last time a ministerial nominee was appointed from among the FCT indigenes was under the military government of General Ibrahim Babangida, whom he said appointed Major General Abdullahi Bagudu Mamman as Minister of Internal Affairs between 1990-1991.
Jeji, said the feat would put Tinubu’s name in the annals of Nigeria’s political history as “a true and undiluted progressive, a man of justice and fair play, adding that Tinubu has by his action shown that he is a man who obeys the rule of law.
“Recalled that the highest courts in Nigeria have in the last decade ruled that ‘FCT is a State’, and that FCT should immediately be granted a seat on the Federal Executive Council (FEC); but subsequent governments refused to obey the court judgments, especially the immediate past government of former head of state Muhammadu Buhari” the statement said.
The natives, however, urged President Tinubu to continue to be courageous in taking the right steps to heal the wounds of the nation by ensuring that historical injustices are corrected so as to further cement the building blocks of the Nigerian society.
The natives, while assuring Tinubu of their full support as he governs Nigeria through amid present challenges, also appealed to the new administration to ensure further democratisation of governance in the territory by ensuring that FCT’s designation as a state is fully obeyed in line with the spirit and letters of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and as proclaimed by the courts.
They also commended senate under the leadership of Senator Goodwill Akpabio, for ensuring successful screening of FCT ministerial nominee.
The natives further commended the Senate for swiftly screening Jisalo, which they described as “highly commendable the solidarity shown by the former Senate Minority Leader/ex-FCT Senator Philip Tanimu Aduda, incumbent FCT Senator Ireti Kingibe, Abuja South Federal Constituency House of Representatives Member, Hon Abdulrahman Ajiya and other well-wishers from the APC, PDP, Labour Party among others that thronged the screening venue to show their solidarity with the FCT ministerial nominee.
“OIDA sees this as politics without bitterness and should continue to be emulated by all FCT politicians”.
Jeji who is also the Secretary of OIDA Board of Trustees (BOT), said the association would continue to fight for the rights of FCT natives, while also assuring other residents of the territory of their continued collaboration and security to ensure a conducive capital city for all Nigerians to realise their dreams.
