Protest has continued to trail the suspension of the inauguration of newly elected six area council chairmen in the Federal Capital Territory.
Supporters of the council chairmen-elect on Friday took to the streets of Abuja, protesting the suspension of the swearing-in ceremony of the new area council chairmen earlier scheduled for Friday, Persecondnews reports.
The protesters, who later stormed the FCTA Secretariat at Area 11, attempted to force their way into the office of the Minister but were resisted by the security personnel.
PSN also reports that the FCT Minister, Mohammad Musa Bello, had on Thursday bowed to a court judgment, restraining him from swearing in the Chairmen-elect and their Councilors
The incumbent six Area Council Chairmen took their oaths of office on 20th May, 2019 for the mandatory three-year tenure in line with the 2010 Electoral Act.
By implication, they were expected to vacate their offices today (20th, May, 2022) but the court judgment delivered on Thursday by an FCT High Court sitting in Kubwa Satellite Town extended their tenure for another one year on the grounds of the 2022 Electoral Act (as amended).
It is against this backdrop that the FCT Minister halted the plans for the inauguration ceremony on Friday.
He said: “Although not satisfied with the judgment, the administration would honour the court ruling as a law-abiding government.”
Aggrieved supporters of the Chairmen-elect, however, decried the judgment and asked the minister to disregard the court verdict, describing it as “legal coup” against the elected Council Chairmen.
“FCT Minister, we know you obey the law, swear in as enshrined in the Constitution.
“You were sworn in with the old electoral act, the new Chairmen should be sworn in with the new electoral act.”
At the moment, both the FCT minister and the Minister of state are out of the country as the protesters insisted they should be addressed by one of them as well as ensure that their demands are met on Friday.
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