The Original Inhabitants of Abuja has called for the creation of a mayoral position for the Federal Capital Territory.
They also demanded a representative to sit in the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting.
Those indigenous to the FCT, therefore, urged members of the National Assembly to vote in this line as they commence amendment to some sections of the 1999 Constitution.
The original inhabitants of Abuja want Sections 297 to 307 to be replaced by the establishment of a Mayoralty for the FCT with an elected Mayor and Mayoral Assembly which will replace the President by designating FCT Minister as the Governor of FCT and National Assembly as the FCT Legislators respectively, as against the status of executive and legislative functions respectively vested on the President and the National Assembly.
Representative of the Original Inhabitants of Abuja, Chief Lazarus Nyaholo, at a briefing yesterday in Abuja ahead of voting to amend a section of the Constitution said: “Let me disabuse the minds of some people that we are not asking for an original inhabitant of FCT to be appointed the Minister of FCT, but a member of the Federal Executive Council who can also be posted to any ministry to serve.
“If the Mayoral Council is established, the office of the FCT Minister will automatically cease to exist.”
He added: “In the light of the foregoing, we wish to use this platform to appeal to all the Senators, members of the Federal and State Assemblies to uphold the citizenship of original inhabitants of FCT being Nigerians like every citizen of Nigeria by voting (YES) for the amendment of these sections of the Constitution to give the original inhabitants of the FCT a sense of belonging as the first citizens of Nigeria that have sacrificed their identity, homes, economy, social and political status by giving up their lands and providing a peaceful atmosphere for the unity of this country.
Nyaholo commended the Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) “for standing tall and unshakable in ensuring transparency in service delivery to the grassroots.