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B N W: Biafra Nigeria World News |
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Niger Delta youths storm National Assembly, protest sack of kinsmanRICHARD IHEDIWA, Abuja
THE leadership of two Niger Delta youth groups on Tuesday stormed the National Assembly demanding the immediate removal of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Nasir el-Rufai, for allegedly marginalising the South-South in his appointments into the ministry. The leaderships of the Congress of National Youth Leaders and South-South Youth Leaders Coalition also threatened to take legal action against the Federal Government if it failed to confer on the FCT the status of a mayorate with an elected mayor in line with the provision of the 1999 Constitution. The youth leaders who said that they were on their way to the Presidential Villa, were protesting the removal of the Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA). Mr. Charles Dorgu, who is from the South-South and his replacement with another official from the North. Describing the development as unconstitutional and in marginalisation of the South-South, spokesman of the Congress of National Youth Leaders, Mr. Philip Shuabu insisted that the South-South must not be denied of their lawful slot for appointments in the FCT. He said the youths were not particularly protesting the removal of Dorgu but his replacement with a northerner and called for an immediate reversal in the interest of fairness, justice and peace. �We are not here because of Charles Dorgu but the interest of the South-South. What we are saying is that his replacement with a northerner is grossly unacceptable and unconstitutional. If he must be removed then his replacement must come from the South-South,� Shuabi insisted. He castigated the FCT Minister for always marginalising the South-South and called on President Olusegun Obasanjo to relieve the minister of his position, which, he said, he had continuously abused. Also speaking, the National co-ordinator of the South-South youth leaders coalition, dr. John Soyoyo said his group has concluded plans to drag the Federal Government to court to compel it to confer the status of a mayorate on the FCT. �FCT has a mayorate status in the constitution. We want this implemented we don�t need a minister to run the FCT. We want to elect a mayor who will be answerable to the people,� Soyoyo stated.
Wednesday, June 30, 2004 |
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