Abuja indigenes move to elect ‘parallel’ govt in FCT

Ukpono Ukpong, Abuja

Abuja Original Inhabitant Youths Empowerment Organisation (AOIYEO) has announced plans to elect a ‘parallel’ government that will take into account the needs and desires of its citizens.

Briefing journalists in Abuja, the group’s Secretary General, Yahuza Abubakar, said the officers elected will bring to an end the disenfranchisement of original Abuja citizens who are mostly treated with disregard, as well as bring the Federal Government policy closer to the Abuja Original inhabitants.

While noting that the typical Nigerian perspective is that only indigenous citizens know what is needed in their immediate community and regions, he stressed that such leadership should be handled by ‘sons of the soil’.

He said that while Nigerian Governors draw support for policies, taking direction from their electorate, in FCT, Abuja leaders owe their mandate to the President and not the people.

The offices available to be contested includes; The People’s Mayor of FCT, Deputy Mayor, Mayoral Councilors (62), Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Majority Leader.

Others includes, Deputy Majority Leader, Minority Leader, Deputy Minority Leader, Chief Whip, Deputy Chief Whip and Deputy Minority Whip.

“Section 301 of the Nigerian constitution makes the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria the Governor of the FCT and the vice president, the Deputy Governor.

The constitution also permits the President to appoint a minister who exercises powers delegated by the President.

“Since 1976, successive Presidents have utilized this power, notwithstanding its inherent flaws.

The Minister owes her mandate to the President; the citizens of the state have little influence on policy concerning community security, socio-economic and political developments or evolvement.
“There are advantages and disadvantages in this constitutional provisions.

In view of that, subsequent ministers have had limited policy-making to land allocation and day to day administration and vision for the city development with no urban community participation especially in the area of security.

The lack of community participation puts the indigenes in jeopardy and at the losing end.

“That is why we have decided to change the narrative and rewrite history by organizing a Community Mayoral Election, whereby leaders will be closer to the people to know their plights and fashion out ways to solve them.

Also, this is because Abuja deserves leadership that will reflect the mind of young, ambitious, and scrappy nature of its growing electorates,” he said.

Speaking further, he explained that the expected Mayor of FCT would be a non-partisan office where, despite individual party affiliations, candidates are not selected by any parties or represented by any political party on the ballot paper to lead the affairs of the people of FCT.

“The appointed Mayor has to leave her domineering party structures at the door. Mayoral candidates would also be required to have been resident in the city of Abuja for at least 10 years, perhaps even having contributed to the city’s coffers through payment of tax.

“The process of the election into the office of Mayor of FCT will be indirect election, and will be conducted by carefully selected 20 delegates by Community Chiefs and Emirs representing the Six Area Council which include: Abaji, Kuje, Kwali, Gwagwalada, Bwari and Amac.

“The delegates will nominate and endorse community Mayoral candidate for election from each area council and the winner will emerge.

The mayoral candidate MUST be endorsed by Emirs and recommended to the Minister/President for appointments on Rural Community participations concerning youth empowerment, community social enterprise, security and youth involvement to peaceful co-existence and development of metropolitan governance.

Some of the notable task to be monitored include: Roads, Traffic and Transport; Education, Human Capital and entrepreneurial development.

“The FCT Community Mayor when elected, will represent FCC with representatives across all communities within FCT, who shall have the responsibilities to furnish the Mayor with information concerning community and youth demands, security challenges as encountered by the Emir or Chief in their kingdom and all others socio-economic request to the Mayor, who shall relay same Mayor to government through the FCT Minister,” Said Abubakar

He explained that the FCT Mayoral Independent Electoral Body shall make available the elections guidelines, nomination forms and any other information deemed necessary by the elections Committee.

Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer, Attachi Nigeria, Lawrence Bitrus, explained that the election process “is pretty much like a parallel system of operation.

We know the government is in operating but there’s no rule that is exempting or taking out any form of contemplation or help that the people or the civil society can provide to ease the government carryout its duties.”

Reacting to the development, the Special Assistant on Media to the FCT Minister of State, Austin Elemue said “Abuja Indigenes have the right to agitate or request for anything that is good for them, but in doing so, they should do it within the ambits of the law.”