By Sarah NEGEDU
Retired security personnel in the Federal Capital Territory, have added their voice to call for the need to give the FCT the complete status of a state, as obtained in the other 36 states of Nigeria.
The retirees, under the auspices of FCT-Forum of Retired Military, Paramilitary Personnel, F-FRMPP, noted that such status will not only help fast track development in rural communities, but also address resettlement issues in the territory.
In a communique released at the end of an emergency meeting to seek solutions to the challenges of indigenes and residents of Abuja, the forum also requested that indigenes and residents of the FCT be allowed to vote for their governor, like it’s done in other parts of the country.
The communique which was jointly signed by the forum’s chairman, Rtd. DIG Aliyu Pai and secretary, Rtd. Ac. Shazin Z. K, stated that apart from the total neglect of their rural areas, Abuja has turned to refuge for politicians who ordinarily should have developed their home communities, constituencies and states.
They lamented that former governors of states who should have ordinarily developed their states after eight years, would not do so, rather they embezzle their states resources and run to Abuja for refuge.
“We are of the opinion that the FCT has been grossly polluted by political jobbers who do not mean well for the people of the Abuja. Also, there is the need to correct political anomaly in the territory, by ensuring that the FCT is given a complete recognition of a state, which part of it has been actualised through the establishment of FCT Civil Service Commission by President Bola Tinubu.
“So, the forum is calling on the federal government to accord Abuja a state status, to enable us to elect our own governor like other Nigerians in their various states. Because for over 41 years, several resettlements and relocation experiments have been carried out in the FCT by various governments, but no headway due to policy inconsistencies.
“The forum believes that if the natives and residents are allowed to elect their governor, members of the House of Assembly, and more local area councils created, there would be more accountability and development in the territory.
“The failure of the federal government to resettle, relocate and compensate our people at the initial cost of N2.8bn in 1978 has led to several policies summersaults. In spite of all the challenges, we are still here, and we are not prepared to go anywhere because we have nowhere to go.”
The forum stressed that the constitution should be amended to reflect cosmopolitan nature of Abuja.
“As retired military and paramilitary personnel, this is our own idea of restructuring, a restructuring based on devolution of governmental powers from federal authorities to Abuja city authorities.
“We no longer want the present military contraption, where a minister is appointed to run the Federal Capital Territory like a cantonment. We must change the constitution to reflect our wishes for a modern and cosmopolitan capital city,’’ the communique stated.
