By Daniel Abia
P/Harcourt
A nongovernmental organization, Vanguard for Renewed Hope has called on Nigerians, particularly Abuja Critics accusing the minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike of abandoning members of APC in Abuja by appointing strangers to occupy offices meant for APC, FCT, to always cross check their facts before going public.
Miffed by the allegations, the group stated that the FCT is home to all Nigerians especially residents irrespective of states of origin and should not be reserved to the exclusion of so called “Non indigenes”.
The group in a statement in Port Harcourt by its national.coordinator, Hon Haruna Bature recalled that the 1999 Constitution as amended recognizes all Nigerians as having the exclusive right to reside any where in the country and exercise their fundamental rights of Freedom of Expression, Association, to Vote and be voted for among others.
Hon Bature therefore hinted that the call by Comrade Abdulwahab Ekekhide and his group to reserve appointments to the exclusion of other Nigerians amounts to “discrimination, selective favoritism and a direct violation of the Spirit and Letter of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We categorically wish to emphasize that the Administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, at this critical point in our National history places premium on performance and quality service delivery to all Nigerians over and above indigenous and tribal sentiments or preferences.
“We therefore call on Comrade Abdulwahab Ekekhide and his sponsors to desist forthwith from propagating such petty and parochial sentiments as the Administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is seriously focused on dealing with issues of easing the economic hardship on the Citizens of the Country” he said.