Scores of residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have taken to the streets of Abuja to protest the tenure extension of six area councils’ chairmen and councillors.
The protesters in their numbers protested along the ever-busy Gwagwalada-Abuja expressway setting bonfire on the major road, preventing human and vehicular movement.
Some of the protesters also blocked the FCT Minister’s office located at Area 11 to protest against the judgement of a federal high court which granted a one-year tenure extension to the incumbent council chairmen.
According to the judgment, based on the recently signed Electoral Act 2022, which stipulates that the tenure of office of the chairmen of the Area Councils in FCT would now be four years, instead of three years, the existing chairmen, whose tenure was meant to expire on Thursday, have another one year to continue.
But the protesters are demanding a reversal of the decision, and calling for the swearing of the Chairmen-elect earlier scheduled for Friday 20th.
They also faulted the decision of the Minister, Bello Mohammad for suspending the inauguraion and swearing ceremony of the elected chairmen.
The residents barricaded the roads and made bonfires, and the situation have led to commotion and tension thereby causing traffic gridlock in the area.
Details later…
