Protesters Shut FCT Minister’s Office Over Extension Of Council Chairmen Tenure

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Hundreds of residents of the Abuja Municipal Area Council have shut down the office of Malam Mohammed Bello, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and the FCT Administration Secretariat over the inauguration of the newly elected council chairmen and councilors.

On Thursday, the administration announced the suspension of the inauguration, citing the ruling of an FCT High Court.

Correspondent reports from DailyTrust,  that one of the outgoing chairmen had approached the court to seek tenure extension by one year following the new Electoral Act which stipulates a four-year term for area council chairmen in the FCT.

The court had subsequently ruled in his favour.

In his reaction, the FCT minister had said as law-abiding administration, the FCTA would abide by the ruling.

But residents, in their hundreds, stormed the Minister’s office on Friday and demanded the immediate swearing-in of the elected council officials.

One of the protesters. John Shaghayi, said such a court ruling could not stand, saying the new Electoral Act came to effect long after the outgoing chairmen were elected.

Daily Trust reports that the tenure of the outgoing council officials ought to end on Friday while the newly elected officials were to be inaugurated the same day.

The new six area council chairmen and their 62 councilors were elected in February.