IRKED by the non-inclusion of any native of Abuja in the eight
ministerial nominees sent to the Senate, the original inhabitants of the
Federal Capital Territory have sued President Goodluck Jonathan to the
tune of N1.310bn damages for non-appointment of Abuja natives into the
Federal Executive Council (FEC) since 1999. Also joined in the suit is
the Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke.
The
suit was filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja by the General Counsel
of the Original Inhabitants Development Association of Abuja (OIDA),
Barrister Musa Baba-Panya. It also has OIDA President, Pastor Danladi
Jeji as the second plaintiff. The suit has as defendants the President
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Attorney General of the
Federation.
In the originating summons, the Abuja natives say
they are seeking a declaration that the indigenes of FCT-Abuja are
entitled to ministerial appointments into the Federal Executive Council.
They also want a declaration that the continuous refusal, failure or
default by previous and current Presidents to appoint an indigene of
FCT-Abuja as a Minister of the Federation is a flagrant violation of the
constitutional rights of indigenes of FCT-Abuja.
According to
Baba-Panya, “We want a declaration that the continuous refusal, failure
or default by previous and current Presidents to appoint an indigene of
FCT-Abuja as a Minister of the Federation is a flagrant violation of the
fundamental rights against discrimination of FCT-Abuja indigenes.
Since 1999, there has not been as little as a ‘personal assistant
appointed in the presidential villa from amongst Abuja indigenes.
Meanwhile some states have 2 or more ministers, not to talk of the
retinue of other senior presidential aides’.
He added, ‘The
natives are seeking an order compelling the President (1st defendant) to
the immediate appointment of an indigene of FCT-Abuja as a Minister of
the Federation and an award of the sum of N50million per year since May
1999 being compensation and damages for the violation of the fundamental
and constitutional rights of plaintiffs and indeed all indigenes of
FCT-Abuja. An award of the sum of N500 million in exemplary damages. The
plaintiffs also want “a consequential order entrusting the compensatory
damages/awards into a Trust Fund Account (in name of 2nd plaintiff)
with the Central Bank of Nigeria for the benefit of all indigenes of
FCT-Abuja and an award of the sum of N10million in legal costs.”
Speaking on the development, OIDA President, Pastor Danladi Jeji said
the group is also demanding “a public apology for all the years of
deprivation and denials of our constitutional rights, entitlements and
privileges in both print and broadcast media.”
The plaintiffs
are seeking the determination of the case by the court on whether by the
combined provisions of Sections; 147(1) (3), 14(3), and 299 of the 1999
Constitution the indigenes of FCT-Abuja are entitled to ministerial
appointment into the Federal Executive Council.
They also want
to know whether the continuous refusal failure and default by previous
and current Presidents to so appoint an indigene of FCT-Abuja as
Minister of the Federation is tantamount to a flagrant violation of the
1999 Constitution (as amended) and a breach of the fundamental rights of
the natives of FCT-Abuja.
The natives say the recent nomination
of eight ministerial appointees sent to the Senate by President
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan without the inclusion of any Abuja native is an
assault on their collective intelligence especially when placed with the
fact that their traditional and political leaders were promised a
ministerial slot when they visited President Jonathan in 2014. No date
has been fixed for the hearing of the suit yet.
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