Supporters of the six area councils’ chairmen-elect on Friday took to the streets of Abuja to protest the suspension of the swearing in ceremony of new area council chairmen earlier scheduled for Friday.
The protesters who later stormed the FCTA Secretariat at Area 11 tried to force their way through to the minister’s office as the security personnel stationed there battled to prevent them from invading the premises.
Chanting “FCT Minister, you must swear them in,” the protesters armed with placards which also carried various inscriptions which read “FCT minister, we know you obey the law swear in as enshrined in the constitution,
“You were sworn in with the old Electoral Act, the new chairmen should be sworn in with the new Electoral Act, etc.”
They also ensured that activities at the FCTA Secretariat were grounded as staffers were neither allowed to gain entrance or exit the premises.
The FCT minister had on Thursday suspended the planned inauguration of the six area council chairmen billed for Friday, May 20, 2022.
The suspension followed a judgement by the FCT High Court which extended the tenure of office of the chairmen from three to four years in line with the provisions of the recently signed Electoral Act of 2022.
