Tunji Wusu –
When establishing his cabinet in accordance with constitutional requirements, the House of Representatives has requested that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu take into account a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) native for appointment as a Minister of the Federal Republic.
The FCT’s indigenous population has been actively campaigning for fair representation in the Federal Executive Council through the appointment of indigenes as ministers.
While the FCT has always had a Minister, no native of the Territory has ever held a ministerial position in the Federal cabinet.
The House asked the President to follow the Court of Appeal’s ruling regarding the ministerial position for FCT natives in the Federal Executive Council by adopting a resolution on a motion presented by Hon. Abdulrahman Ajiya and Hon. Gaza Jonathan Gbefwi.
The House also decided to create an Ad-hoc Committee to look into the reasons why previous governments kept FCT natives out of ministerial nominations despite the Court of Appeal’s verdict in this case.
Ajiya, who proposed the resolution, stated that all Nigerian citizens are entitled to equal treatment and rights under the provisions of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Constitution of 1999 (as amended).
He added that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is entitled to a ministerial seat in the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in accordance with the decision rendered by the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on January 15, 2018, in the case brought by HRH Musa Baba Panya against the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Indigenes of the FCT-Abuja are eligible to Ministerial appointment into the Federal Executive Council, he claimed, citing the combined effects of Sections 147(1)(3), 14(3), and 299 of the 1999 Constitution.
In accordance with the aforementioned provision of the constitution, he claimed, the President appoints the Hon. Minister of the FCT to represent the interests and aspirations of the FCT’s citizens in the Federal Government.
The lack of representation for FCT natives in the FEC, according to Ajiya, has alienated, marginalized, and underrepresented them despite the Constitution’s explicit provisions and the court ruling.
According to him, the cohesion, stability, and progress of the country depend on there being fair representation of all regions, communities, and groups in the government.
