•FCT belongs to all Nigerians, not North alone

By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South

NIGER DELTA leaders and activists have scoffed at the up-to-the-minute ranting of Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmed Gumi and a few other Muslim leaders, chastising President Bola Tinubu for appointing a former governor of Rivers State, who hails from the oil-rich region, Nyesom Wike, as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Abuja.

The irritation of Gumi and his fellow travellers, who took on President Bola Tinubu was not that Wike was not qualified to be Minister, but that he (Wike) hails from the Niger Delta, therefore, President Tinubu should not have appointed him, as Abuja is for northerners and Muslims.

The attackers also queried Wike for hosting the Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria in Abuja.
However, Niger-Deltans, who spoke to Saturday Vanguard, said they felt at ease and saw the outburst for what it is – a diversionary tactic – when the Northern elders, leaders, groups, and stakeholders took Gumi and his ilk to the cleaners for their provocative utterance.

FCT Minister should be rotational – Chief Ekpoko, Itsekiri leader

Chair of the Itsekiri Leaders of Thought, ILoT, in Delta State, and senior attorney, Chief Edward Ekpoko, asserted, “It is an insult to say that Nyesom Wike from the Niger Delta cannot be the Minister of the FCT, whereas Nigeria built the FCT from proceeds of oil derived from the Niger Delta.”

“The skyscrapers, bridges, flyovers, and other critical infrastructures in the FCT, including Abuja, rest on a foundation of environmental degradation and exploitation of the Niger Delta people through years of oil exploration of their land. Abuja’s development is at the expense of the Niger Delta people.

“I have not seen the video clip, but if it is true, then Sheikh Gumi and his co-travelers got it wrong.

“The FCT, including Abuja is for all Nigerians. Any qualified Nigerian nay Niger Delta region, can be Minister of the FCT, and Nyesom Wike is qualified.

“I must commend President Tinubu for Wike’s appointment and it is my view that, henceforth, the office of the Minister of the FCT should be made rotational among the geopolitical zones to erase this erroneous belief that it is a prerogative of the North.

“Nyesom Wike, so far, has performed well and taken some bold steps, which previous administrations did not dare. The ongoing demand for payment of the long outstanding and/or forgotten ground rent or risk revocation, and putting Abuja on course by abiding by the original master plan are some of his impressive early steps.”

Tribal bigots – Ikimi, CENTREP

The Coordinator of the Centre for the Vulnerable, and Underprivileged, CENTREP, Oghenejabor Ikimi Esq. stated categorically, “Abuja neither belongs to the Northerners nor Muslims. Abuja was built from crude oil proceeds from the Niger Delta, and not from the groundnuts pyramid of the 50s.”

“Nyesom Wike is a Nigerian qualified to be a Minister of the FCT by our Constitution as a qualified legal practitioner.

“Furthermore, the appointment of Ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is the sole prerogative of the President.

“Wike can receive the Ambassador of Israel or any other ambassador in his domain as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria overseeing Abuja.

“Under section 10 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended Nigeria remains a secular State.

“Wike must be commended for the yeoman’s job he is doing in Abuja, particularly as it pertains to the restoration of the Abuja master plan.

“The outburst by the Sheikh and his likes only reveals them as tribal bigots still living in the past, and not as true Muslim clerics. They should let Nigerians breathe.

How do North, Muslims own Abuja? Mudiaga-Odje, lawyer

Warri-based constitutional lawyer, Dr. Akpo Mudiaga-Odje, stated, “The President did the right thing in giving that strategic office, which had hitherto been monopolized by the North.”

“Gumi, as a northern irredentist, obviously will not like that. Moreover, that Wike is likely to surpass the contributions of his predecessors of northern extraction is a difficult challenge for Gumi and his ilk

“Mr. President evidently did the right thing in placing Wike, a Niger Deltan in that strategic office for the national interest.

“Wike’s bold assertion to all and sundry, especially the big guns, to revoke any land not properly captured and developed, is worthy of extreme commendation
“He has even with the approval of the President, disentangled the Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA, from the single treasury account, to enable him to source for loans elsewhere to develop the FCT, which is a great vision and idea.

”The honorable Justice Ayo Irikefe, who chaired the Committee that recommended Abuja as our capital, ended his report by pungently declaring that …”…The FCT is beyond the reach of monopolistic acquisition by any ethnic group. So how does Abuja now belong to Northerners and Muslims?

“Thank God, Wike himself has satisfactorily explained the reason behind the visit of the Israel ambassador, which even took place before the Hamas unreasonable attacks on Israel.

He was there for agricultural support to farmers in the FCT. That is promoting national policy and interest in the discharge of the trappings of the office

“We also need to painfully recall that it is from the stolen resources of the Niger Delta, that the FCT was built

“Then, why should l be deemed unqualified to be given an appointment into the office of the FCT minister, an office which our resources built in the first place

Unfortunate commotion – Rev. Ugolor, ANEEJ

The Executive Director of Benin City-based Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, ANEEJ, an international nongovernmental organization, Rev. David Ugolor, declared, “It is most unfortunate that we are having this discussion at this time of the nation’s development when we should be discussing technological advancements and deployment to solve our challenges.”

”I join some other northerners to condemn the outburst and to say that such tribal and ethnic sentiments will not support national development. A qualified Niger- Deltan can become the Minister of FCT just as a qualified Northerner can be the Minister of the Niger Delta Ministry.

“I believe that the current FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, should be tackled based on issues and not based on which part of the country he hails from.

“The Niger Delta region hosts the bulk of oil and gas installations where the entire country derives its revenue. The nation used oil and gas revenue to fund the national budget for the past 56 years since the country discovered oil in commercial quantity in Oloibiri, Bayelsa State. ‘Substantially, oil resources from the Niger Delta were used to develop Abuja, and many states and cities in the northern part of Nigeria.

”But the irony of the whole thing is that the Niger Delta region is not as developed as Abuja and some northern states, that is the sacrifice we have made for the country, and I think we should be appreciated, and not condemned.

I disagree with Gumi, others – Unagha, Muslim leader

A Muslim, legal practitioner, and opinion leader, Alhaji Mumakai Unagha, said the claim by some northern clerics and Gumi that northerners and Muslims own Abuja was regrettable.

“I disagree with them except I am convinced otherwise. For a man of such standard and reputation making such a provocative statement, calls for concern. Gumi and his brothers should learn from history.

“Yes by geographical expression Abuja falls within the North, but by the relevant laws, it does not belong to the North or Muslim alone, both in terms of administration or governance.

“Every Nigerian citizen can claim Abuja, and occupy any position or appointment. Similarly,
“The likes of Gumi and his northern clerics are telling Nigerians that Nigeria is no longer one and other sections should sort themselves out, which to me they are ready to do. The man who chose Abuja as Federal Capital Territory was not a northerner, a Yoruba man, Justice Aguda of blessed memory.

”Towards this end, I suggest that the administration of justice of Abuja should be restructured, and adjusted. It should reflect all the ethnic groups in the country. Going by the declaration of Sheikh Gumi and co, the northerners do not deserve to work in any of the oil industries, including the military: army, police, customs, and immigration.

“Abuja was developed and is still being developed with our wealth which they tagged commonwealth. For over 50 years of oil and gas exploration and exploitation that flow from the Niger Delta, are what successive governments used and still using to develop the nation. Money from the Niger Delta region sustains Nigeria; otherwise, over 60 percent of the states in the country are barren.

Ill-advised flare-up – Omare, ex-IYC president

Former National President of the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Eric Omare Esq ventilated, “Both those questioning the appointment of Wike as Minister and calling for his sack, especially Gumi are misguided.”

“They live in Nigeria of the past where some people from a section think that they own Nigeria more than others. Primarily, I call on President Tinubu and Nigerians to disregard their demand. All Nigerians, irrespective of their place of origin and religion, are entitled to be ministers of the FCT.

“Also, Abuja does not belong to the north. It belongs to all Nigerians as the Federal Capital Territory. As a Niger Deltan, I consider it provocative for Gumi to question Wike’s right to be Minister of the FCT, considering the fact that everything that makes Abuja what it is comes from the resources of the region.

“In short, I make bold to say that Niger Deltans have a better claim to Abuja because it was built with our resources.

“On Mr. Wike’s competence, there is no dispute about that. He is a proven performer as a public servant. Perhaps, people like Gumi are not happy because he may stop some of their corrupt activities.

“In the video, he talked about places through which they make money. Therefore, the issue for them is all about where they make money and not development. It is the reason for so much poverty, especially in the north. In conclusion, Gumi’s call for Wike’s removal is just a distraction that should be disregarded.”