FCT Revenue Board: Abuja Natives Protest Non Inclusion

Indigenes of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, under the auspices of Abuja Original Inhabitants Youth Empowerment have come out to kick against the non inclusion of an indigene in the recent reconstitution of the Board of Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS) by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The preasure youth group has demanded that FCT indigene should be included among other Nigerians serving as Board members for justice to prevail.

President of the indigenous group, Commander Isaac David, who made this known in a press briefing to express their displeasure, drew the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari to the fact that, the original inhabitants of FCT in various capacities have agitated over non recognition of its status as a state and the continuous disregard for political appointments.

He said that Abuja natives are becoming more disturbed following recent list of FCT Internal Revenue Services Board members approved by President Muhammadu Buhari without the inclusion of Abuja indegene.

The youth leader, therefore, insisted that the composition of the revenue Board must be carried out in strict compliance with the principle of Federal Character as enshrined in the 1999 constitution and the Federal Character Commission Act of 1997, even as the group lamented that the natives have been denied all their privileges and rights guaranteed them under the 1999 constitution.

“We have stressed this point before now that appointments into political offices at national level are regulated by the 1999 constitution section 14 and by the Federal Character Establishment Act of 1997.

The Act requires that appointments into political and other offices should be given to candidates who are indigenous to the FCT and the states of Nigeria.

“Part 11 of the laws of the federation of Nigeria as amended in 2004 provides that “no person shall lay claim to more than one state or to a state and the Federal Capital Territory”. The section further defines the indigene of FCT as “a Niger