FCT PEOPLE REJECTS TERM ELONGATION FOR CHAIRMEN & COUNCILLORS

FCT VOTERS & RESIDENTS REFUSE TERM ELONGATION FOR CHAIRMEN & COUNCILLORS PRONOUNCED BY INEC CHAIRMAN

Concerned Voters and Residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have rejected the “Purpurted” elongation of the tenures of council chairman and councillors of the FCT by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Spokesperson for the group, Barr. Chucks Akamadu, who was flanked by other members said this at a media briefing, in Abuja, on Thursday.

They expressed shock that the election management body was attempting to stand Nigeria’s laws on the head with its position on the tenure of FCT area council chairmen and councillors.

The Concerned Voters and Residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have rejected the “Purpurted” elongation of the tenures of council chairman and councillors of the FCT by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Spokesperson for the group, Barr. Chucks Akamadu, who was flanked by other members said this at a media briefing, in Abuja, on Thursday.

They expressed shock that the election management body was attempting to stand Nigeria’s laws on the head with its position on the tenure of FCT area council chairmen and councillors.

The group queried INEC’s position that the import of the Electoral Act 2022 (As amended) is that the tenure of area council chairmen and councillors has been automatically extended by one year.

As a result, the Commission has said it would not release guidelines and schedule of activities for FCT Area Council Elections till next year and by implication, will conduct the next election in 2026 as of February 2025.

Akamadu said, “The argument that tenure is not defined by the date of election but the date of oath of office is neither here nor there, because whilst we grant that the coming into force of 2022 by expressly giving the current FCT chairmen and councillors a 3-year renewable term of office cannot be overthrown by subterfuge.

“It is trite law that the validity of a law, under a democracy, is derived from the people.

“Fundamentally, it is also beyond debate the statutes including the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria derive their potency from the will of the people- not mere words contained therein.

“We concede also that the legislature has a constitutional right and duty to make laws for the good governance of the country -the FCT inclusive, but that is only to the extent that such laws derive validity from the people whom they represent.

“And in the instant case, the people gave a 3-year tenure mandate only. Anything other than this would be ultra vires and inconsistent with the universal meaning and principles of democracy.”

The group gave the inec leadership seven days to release the 2025 fct election guidelines or be ready to face the people who came out to vote for their preferred council candidates.

Inec have been asked to conduct the fct council elections based on the provisions of the electoral act that was used in 2022 which stipulates a three year term.