Guardian

AN indigenous group in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Original Inhabitants’ Development Association of Abuja (OIDA), has commended the Senate Committee on Review of the 1999 Constitution for including a mayoralty system of governance for the nation’s capital in its recommendations.

According to press release jointly signed by OIDA President, Danladi Jeji, and Mr. Emma Ezeazu of the Alliance for Credible Elections (ACE), “the amendment of Sections 299 and 302 of the 1999 Constitution by the Senate gives credence to the indigenous people’s quest for democratisation of governance in the FCT as contained in its memoranda submitted to the National Assembly, and as earlier proposed by the Solomon Ewuga-led Ministerial Committee on FCT Indigeneship, Land and Political Administration in 2000.”

If passed into law, the group stated, “democratically-elected mayor and deputy mayor will aid good governance and accountability to the FCT electorate, unlike the current ministerial system that lacks transparency and accountability to the people.”

The association said the committee’s recommendations were in tandem with the people’s desire for Abuja indigenes and other Nigerians resident in the city to freely elect leaders, who would be directly held responsible for the actions.

It further called on the House of Representatives to “make public the results of the Peoples Public Session conducted in the two constituencies in the FCT.”