A group under the aegis of Excellent Achievers Movement in partnership with the Renaissance for Peace and Empowerment Initiative (REPEI) and other Civil Society Organizations has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to quickly adjust to the federal character principles in terms of the appointment and nomination of his ministers, especially for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) which they noted had been dominated by the Northerners.
The group urged President Buhari to appoint a non-Northerners under his leadership as FCT Minister, saying anything short of that would amount to injustice to other regions in the country which has not tested the position and are all co-owners of the capital city.
They stated this in Port Harcourt the Rivers State Capital while addressing newsmen, pointing out that the clarion call was necessary base on the principle of equity, justice and fairness which should awaken the president in lieu of the federal character through the doctrine of social contract and the yearning of Nigerians in the democratic dispensation and beyond.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Comrade Solomon Deesi Lenu, President Excellent Achievers Movement maintained that FCT is the capital of Nigeria, not the capital of the North alone. He lamented that since the relocation of FCT to Abuja in 1991 that no non-northerners has been appointed as Minister in the capital city which is acclaimed to be the capital of the whole nation, describing the development as unacceptable.
Comrade Lenu who noted that it will be fair and just for the position to be shifted to the South-East, South-West as well as South-South provided it is not somebody from the North this time around. He disclosed that if that is done they would be happy if their demands are met. He listed names of some of the former FCT Ministers to include, John Jatau Kadiya, Iro Abubakar, Dan Musa, Hilairu Dantoro, Mamman Jiya Vatsa, Gado Nasko, Jeremiah Tumbut Useni, Mamman Kontagora, Ibrahim Bunu, Muhammed Abba Gana, Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai, Aliyu Modibbo Umar, Mohammed Adamu Aliero, Mobolaji Afose Adeogun, Bala Mohammed, and Mohammed Bello pointing out that among all the names nobody from other regions in the country has been appointed, apart from Mobalaji Afose Adeogun from the South-West.
According to him, “we are not at war because it is only at war that all things are said to be fair for the course, so it would be wrong for us to start today to right the wrong of yesterday for the healing process to begin if we really want the country Nigeria to stay together as one indivisible unit as accepted by our founding fathers.
“The Igbo man from the South-East and the Igbo nation won’t be crying of marginalization if one of her sons is the minister of the FCT of this country as they will feel a sense of belonging, so also it won’t be a wrong thing for the office of the FCT minister to be given to a son from South-South where the wealth that greases the engine of this nation is taken from because it will further pacify the warring youths in the creeks and quell the incessant oil theft and the call for Niger Delta republic as currently going on”.
He stated that the same situation applied to the South-West which had also been denied of the position that, they will feel a sense of belonging if their sons and daughters are appointed as FCT ministers.
Hon. Lenu disclosed that a letter has been sent to the National Assembly to affect the change and however call on all to support the course. He also stated that if there demand is not met by the President, they would use every legal and peaceful means to ensure justice is achieved.
Also he used the opportunity to call on the President Muhammadu Buhari to relinquish his position as the Petroleum Minster as was the case in the last administration and hand it over to a technocrat in the oil industry in order for him to have more time to concentrate on his duty as president.
“ever since the relocation of FCT to Abuja in 1991 non-Northerners has been appointed the Minster of that capital city but this is contrary to what is obtainable ion the oil sector where the highest office in that sector has been occupied by the Northerners while the Southerners look on as spectator until recently. The NNPC for instance has produced more GMDS from the north than other part of the region put together.
“The office of the minster of Petroleum was almost an exclusive reserve for the north to the disadvantage of the South-South. It is also note worthy that the northern part of Nigeria has no sea port but they have had their fair share as head of the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA). For years the north have no oil but they are the biggest beneficiaries of oil proceeds in Nigeria but when it comes to gold ad of other solid minerals that are available in the north, it remain then exclusive reserve”.
So, we cry out to Mr. President in reference to his words when he came in to power 2015 and made his epoc declaration that says “I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody” the time to make good of these words is now and let justice prevail” he maintained.
