Massive protests are currently in progress in Abuja, over the decision by the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, to suspend the inauguration of newly elected Local Council Chairmen and Councillors.
The Local Council Administrators were elected during the February 12 Local Council Election in the FCT and were due for inauguration on May 19.
But the FCT Administration on Thursday, suspended the planned inauguration of the six Area Council Chairmen and Councillors of the Federal Capital Territory following a Wednesday FCT high Court judgment.
It explained that the suspension was in line with the provisions of the recently signed Electoral Act of 2022, which stipulates that the tenure of office of the Chairmen of the Area Councils in FCT would now be four years instead of three years.
In a statement signed by the FCT Minister, the administration said it was conscious of the need to abide by the rule of law, even though it is not satisfied with the judgment of the court, it had no option but to comply.
The Minister said the administration is also making efforts to vacate the judgment and if need arises, to appeal the judgment, so that the correct position of the law will be determined by the legal processes.
He therefore appealed to everyone to be calm, law abiding and to await the outcome of the legal processes.
But in a protest on Friday, local council administrators displayed placards bearing different inscriptions like, “You were sworn in with the Old Electoral Act, the new Chairman should be sworn in with the new", “Give us our right”.
The protesters, who include physically challenged Nigerians, equally voiced slogans: “We won the election, why are we not being sworn in; If it was the APC that won the election, won’t they do swearing in”, "They should give us our right, we all voted, and we are here to make a demand from the FCT Minister who stood as the Mayor of Abuja”, and “FCT Minister give us swearing in”.
Officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration were yet to address the protesters as at the time of filing this report.
The six Area Councils in Abuja are: Gwagwalada, Abaji, Kwali, Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC, Kuje and Bwari.
