Some indigenous youths of the federal capital territory have staged a protest to demand inclusion in the federal executive council.

Chanting songs and carried placards with inscriptions such as: Mr President Nominate a Native Minister, Appoint FCT Natives Now, among others, the half-naked protesters occupied the entrance to the National Assembly for about three hours.

Protest leader, Mr Yunusa Yusuf expressed dismay over the disregard of the FCT as a state and called for a review of the constitution towards addressing their demand.

“It’s regrettable that successive governments have not shown interest on the plight of FCT natives. For over a decade now, not just during this eight assembly, the senate has played deaf ears to the marginalization, deprivation and exclusion of FCT natives.”

He said.

“We have been relegated to the background We are treated as if we are second class citizens in our fatherland.”

A member of the protest said.

“They have continued to chase us away from our ancestral homes. Now, we don’t have any other place to go. They want to evict us from our fatherland.”

Another of the protesters said.

“What we are asking for is to be represented at the federal executive council. It’s either you give us a minister, or you appoint a native to be represented in the council, and the constitution provides that the FCT should be treated as if it was one of the states of the federation of Nigeria.”

Another member of the protest explained.

Addressing the youth, Senate committee chairman on the FCT, Senator Dino Melaye appealed to them to be patient as measures will be put in place to address their grievances.

“We have been doing a lot to make sure that the FCT is not schemed out from the activities of the federal republic of Nigeria. I assure you that as a senate, we are going to write and inform the executive on the need to listen to your supplications.”

He said.

Senator Melaye also noted that the 8th National Assembly would continue to support policies that will ensure a fair treatment of all units of the federation.

The federal capital territory is represented by a single senator in the upper chamber of the National Assembly unlike other states which have three each.

Despite that there is a ministry of the federal capital territory which is the administration in charge of overseeing development in the territory, ministers who have occupied that office have always been from outside the FCT.

On the other hand, no minister has ever been appointed to represent the FCT in the federal cabinet unlike other states which enjoy a mandatory single slot.
https://ezeja.com/abuja-indigenes-protest-exclusion-federal-executive-council/

THOSE ARE GWARI PEOPLE, THEY ARE THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF ABUJA (IPOA).