FCT Minister suspends swearing-in as Abuja Council Chiefs secure tenure extension

…But vows to appeal judgement
…Calls for calm among FCT residents

By Editor

The Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has suspended the swearing in of recently elected Area Council Chairmen earlier slated for tomorrow, Friday.

The decision to suspend the event according to Mallam Bello was as a result of the judgment of an FCT High Court which granted a one-year tenure extension to the incumbent six Area Council Chairmen whose tenures end on Friday, May 20.

Meanwhile, tension is brewing among residents of the Federal Capital Territory FCT following the new development.

Recall in March of 2019, the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC had conducted Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory, whereby Six Council Chairmen and their Councillors were elected.

These six Council Chairmen of the FCT were then inaugurated on the 20th of May 2019, under the 2010 Electoral Act and based on that Act, the tenure of the Chairmen would end on Friday and the new Chairmen, based on the elections held in February this year, were to be sworn in on 20th May 2022.

However, Bello said few days ago, the FCT Administration received communication of a judgment by a court in the FCT directing it to “suspend the inauguration of the new Chairmen, based on the fact that the current Chairmen’s tenure would end on Thursday 19th May 2022”.

According to the judgment, based on the recently signed Electoral Act 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, the existing Chairmen whose tenure were meant to expire on Thursday, have another one year to continue, based on the new law.

He said as a law-abiding government, the FCT Administration has no option than to suspend the planned inauguration of the Six Area Council Chairmen of the Federal Capital Territory who were duly elected some weeks ago as a result of this injunction of the court.

“Also, as an administration that is very conscious of the need to abide by the rule of law, even though we are not satisfied with the judgment of the court, we have no option but to comply.

“While complying, we are 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.

“In the interim therefore, we are very conscious of the fact that the stand of the court has raised a lot of concerns within certain sections of the Federal Capital Territory residents.

“I wish to appeal to everyone to be calm, to be law abiding and to await the outcome of the legal processes.

“FCT is a creation of law. The FCT has always been known to be a place of unity, peace and good governance and populated by law abiding residents.

“Please let us continue the way we are and await the court processes. At the end of the court processes, the clear direction of what needs to be done would be clearly stated and then as an administration, we will do the needful.”