The vexed issue of land ownership and stateless status of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) indigenes reverberated strongly at the venue of the Constitution review public hearing in Abuja on Thursday as the Minister of the FCT, Mohammed Bello, and Original Inhabitants of Abuja disagree on fundamental issues regarding the future of Abuja.
While the Minister was more concerned about having new provisions in the constitution that will clearly demarcate the Federal Capital city for effective administration and to prevent constant frictions in its functions and powers with that of the larger Abuja Municipal Councils especially in the area of tax collection; the Original Inhabitants led by their Chairman, Dalhatu Ezekiel Musa said anything short of having their own state will amount to gross injustice against them.
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He said while some sections of the country are currently agitating to exit the Nigerian estate, the Original Inhabitants of Abuja plead to be included and accorded a state status in their own country.
The Original Inhabitants who said they have been marginalized for too long also called for a provision in the constitution that will grant them the right to the own their ancestral land as is the case in other parts of the country.
Again, while the FCT Minister called for unhindered funding guaranteed by the constitution for the proposed Federal Capital City; the Original Inhabitants want more access to political power at the centre with a provision that will guarantee for them a Ministerial slot.
According to the FCT Minister, the special fund is required to drive development in the FCT.
He said Abuja has 196 districts out of which 92 are under the purview of the FCT and only 10 of these districts are fully developed; 12 partially while the remaining 70 are undeveloped.
He said without the special fund Abuja may become one giant slum in no time.
