Ahead of the 2023 presidential election, natives of Abuja under the auspices of Abuja Original Inhabitants Youths Empowerment Organisation (AOIYEO) have presented a Charter of Demands to all the presidential candidates, for them to work with and ensure that the natives of Abuja benefit from the central government when a new president is elected from among them.
The charter of demands which contained all the pressing demands of the natives included, the establishment of an Abuja Original Inhabitants Development Commission (AOIDC), which will focus solely on the unique issues of FCTOIs, just like the NDDC was established for the Niger-Delta region.
While presenting the charter of demands, the project and organising manager of AOIYEO, Bitrus Lawrence, yesterday in a press conference, explained that the charter of demands is the most critical document of FCT’s original inhabitants.
“In order to put this crucial document together, AOIYEO undertook the extensive engagement of FCT original inhabitants, from the area council leadership, the FCTA, FCDA, the FCT traditional council of chiefs across the upgraded 17 chiefdoms, the 62 wards, and 858 communities’ representatives, invariably giving the document a fascinating depth and far-flung acceptance amongst FCT original inhabitants.
“As we all know, the election season is upon us, so as we present this document today, and with the blessings of everyone involved, we are also declaring that as a people who are bound by a common struggle and are now rejuvenated and resolute in upholding the FCT original inhabitants charter of demands as our unanimous roadmap to addressing them.
“Our support for any candidate or party at the polls will be largely dependent on the commitment they show towards implementing the recommendations contained in our charter of demand.
“In the political section of this document for instance, in response to policy inconsistencies and reversals by FCTA and the FCDA, and other operations which completely negate democratic tenets, open to abuse and contradict the spirit of inclusiveness and good governance enshrined in the constitution.
‘Section 147 (3) of the CFRN provides that the president shall appoint at least one minister from each State and the FCT, who shall be an indigene of such State and the FCT’. This provision has been flagrantly abused. We are demanding that the federal government explicitly provide for one ministerial slot for the FCTOIs,” he said.
Lawrence said the single most important document of FCT’s original inhabitants, is very comprehensive and that they are strongly behind it, both as a guideline for continued advocacy, and yardstick to determine candidates and parties to support at the polls.
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