A member of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) and former National Director, Legal and Public Affairs, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Evangelist Kwamkur Samuel Vondip, has stated that the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja belongs to all, saying no part of the country has the constitutional right to arrogate it to itself.
Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, Evangelist Vondip said the status of the FCT is not in doubt, adding that those who arrogate Abuja to themselves and therefore want the FCT Minister to come from the northern part of the country are ignorant of the constitution.
According to him, the Minister of the FCT, Barrister Nyesom Wike, is fit and qualifies like any other person from any part of the country to be appointed as FCT Minister, adding that the question of eligibility is inciting and can throw the country into crisis.
He stated that the statements attributed to some northern elders, especially religious leaders, regarding the eligibility of Barrister Wike as Minister of FCT, could undermine the peace and tranquillity being enjoyed in the country.
“But it was disheartening that the DSS and other security agencies could turn their eyes in other directions without inviting those preaching hatred.
The Abuja in question doesn’t belong to anyone; anyone, irrespective of creed, religious, and tribal affiliations, can be appointed as FCT Minister. It is not an exclusive preserve of any part of the country or religious group.
“FCT is the federal capital of Nigeria; it belongs to no one; those claiming it are simply ignorant. How can someone think that FCT should be governed by a northerner alone?
veryone who is a Nigerian is eminently qualified to be the Minister of Abuja. Abuja doesn’t belong to any faith, nor does it belong to the Hausa or Fulani.” He said
He suggested that those religious leaders making inciting statements on social media and other platforms should be arrested, adding that no one should be treated as a sacred cow.
According to him, if the DSS can invite the likes of Apostle Suleiman, the late General Joshua Dongoyaro, and other eminent Nigerians who served as CAN Appeal Trust Fund committees for interrogation, what stops the security agencies from cautioning those fanning the ember of discord using religion and other primordial sentiments?
“There are many others in the country who have come on air to make inciting statements that are capable of setting this country ablaze.
There are groups of people who want to pull this country down using religion; these are people who have a deep-rooted hatred for people of other religions.
“The belief of some protagonists of the Muslim-Muslim ticket was that it was going to be a way to Islamize this country and turn things in favour of one religion, but they now realise it was not the way they thought, so they are now looking for an opportunity to truncate the whole thing.
“They are shocked that President Tinubu is not playing the ethnic or religious agenda as expected. Tinubu values life; he believes that the country belongs to all, irrespective of tribe, religious, and ethnic affiliations,” he said.
He tasked the security agencies in the country with being more alive to their responsibilities, adding that no one should be treated as a sacred cow.
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