Abuja youths decry non inclusion of indigenes on ministerial list

Abuja youths decry non inclusion of indigenes on ministerial list

A group in the Nigerian capital, Abuja Youth Forum (AYF) on Thursday decried the non inclusion of its indigenes in the ministerial nominees who were undergoing screening in the Senate.

The President of the group, Mr Na’Allah Dogara, told newsmen in Abuja that there were many FCT indigenes, who had the qualification and experience to serve as ministers.

Dogara said, “We have qualified indigenes, who can hold any position in this country and our people have been grossly neglected in the federal cabinet constitution for so long. The indigenes of the territory qualify in every ramification to hold ministerial and other key positions in government.''

Campaign promises

He said that they had overwhelmingly voted PDP in the last presidential election and was therefore entitled, like other states, to be considered for cabinet positions.

“We call on the president to remember his campaign promises to the FCT indigenes and consider an indigene in the formation of his new cabinet,” Dogara said.

The President of the said that FCT youths were not happy with the development, adding that his consultations with the youths in all the area councils informed his statement to the president.

Undermining capabilities

Also speaking, Mr Ayuba Adamu, the secretary of the group, said that undermining the capabilities of the FCT indigenes to occupy sensitive positions had been perpetrated for so long.

 “The consistent non inclusion of our people in the federal cabinet will make us feel humiliated and marginalised,’’ he said. 

He called on the government to consider the list of FCT indigenes earlier sent to the Presidency by the FCT chapter of PDP. 

Already, seven of the 34 nominees, whose names were forwarded by President Goodluck Jonathan to the Senate, scaled the screening and were confirmed on Wednesday.

NAN/Shakira