A member of the House of Representatives, representing Abuja South Federal Constituency, Alhaji Zakari Angulu-Dobi, has said he has written President Muhammadu Buhari, appealling to him to consider appointing a native of the FCT as a minister because the original inhabitants of the capital city have been neglected for too long.
Speaking in a telephone interview with our reporter at the weekend, Dobi said it was quite disturbing that the natives of the territory have been sidelined in the scheme of things in their own land, saying the previous administrations have failed to consider appointing the original inhabitants of the territory in to the federal executive council.
He said if one of the natives of the FCT would be appointed a minister, or given a key federal appointment, the natives of the territory will have a sense of belonging and participation in the development of the country.
“Besides, the provision of section 14(13) of our Constitution is clear and apt, where it states that the compositions of the government of the federation or any of its agencies and conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria,” he explained.
He also said observing national character to the letter would promote national unity and command patriotism.
According to him, the FCT natives ought to be taken into consideration when forming the federal cabinet because, “subsection 3 of section 147 of the Constitution has provided that in giving effect to the provisions aforesaid, the president shall appoint at least one minister from each state who shall be an indigene of such state.”
He therefore called on people of the Abuja south and the entire residents of the FCT to continue to support the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari on his anti-corruption drive and his efforts towards putting an end to the insurgency in the north east.
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