Natives and residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have appealed to President Bola Tinubu to appoint FCT indigenes as commissioners in all federal parastatals in the territory, in line with the federal character and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
A major stakeholder and an elder statesman in the FCT, Danjuma TankoDara, who made this call yesterday in a press briefing on behalf of the natives and residents, described any appointments outside an indigene for such positions as an abuse of constitutional rights and federal character, and against the original inhabitants and residents of Abuja.
Dara warns that at a point where the country is presently facing socio-economic challenges and everyone is thinking of how they can manage the situation, residents and natives of the FCT should not be angered or made to have a rethink that would jeopardise the peace and unity of the territory.
“These appointments of Commissioners we are asking for are little appointments that indigenous people of FCT can boast of at any time, based on the constitution that the present administration used to prove that FCT can be seen as one of the states of Nigeria, and it should operate like other states with full rights.
“We expect this government to use this opportunity to showcase differences and put its records in the right perspective as enshrined in democracy by not bringing somebody from any other state, who has never stayed in the FCT or contributed to the struggle and impose them on the people of the FCT.
“This is not right, and it should be condemned by well-meaning residents and indigenes of the FCT. That is why we are appealing to the President who has the interest of Abuja natives at heart, to consider appointing an indigene or a resident of the FCT to take over the position of federal commissioner in the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS),” he said.
The elder statesman explained that even if it is not an indigene of the FCT that is appointed, an appointment of any resident of the FCT who has been living with them for ages will be acceptable.
“We will not have a problem with an appointment of any resident who has lived with us for more than 10 years because he will understand our plights, and our struggles and know how to go about it.
“But, not to bring somebody from any other state outside Abuja, someone who has never contributed to the development of the FCT in any way, to come and take over such a sensitive position in the FCT, is unacceptable.
“That means the person would be coming to enjoy what we have been struggling for over the years, without joining in the struggles or contributing to it. This is unacceptable. We are rejecting any appointment of anybody outside FCT, and we, the indigenous people of the FCT will not accept it,” he said.
