FG apologises to FCT indigenes over exclusion in appointments

THE Federal Government has apologised to indigenes of the Federal Capital Territory for their exclusion in appointments made so far by the current administration.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation,  Engineer Babachir David Lawal made the apology on behalf of the government on Monday when he received in audience, His Royal Highness, Alhaji (Dr.) Adamu Baba Yunusa, The Ona of Abaji and Chairman, FCT Council of Chiefs.

Lawal, admitted that the FCT indigenes were not adquately repressnted noting that the omission was not deliberate and that the situation would be corrected during future appointments.

He explained that he would bring the omission to the attention of President Mohammadu Buhari.

A statement by the Director, Press, SGF Office, Mr Bolaji Adebiyi, in Abuja said  the Royal Highness specifically, complained about the exclusion of FCT indigenes in the reconstitution of the Governing Councils of Federal Universities, the composition of the Federal Executive Council and more recently, the nomination of non-career ambassadorial nominees.

The royal father urged that the anomaly should be corrected since it contravenes certain provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Federal Character Commission that specifies that the FCT should be treated as if it were one of the states of Nigeria.

The Ona appealed to the SGF to use his good offices to carry the FCT along when political appointments are made.