● “Only one slot out of 17”
The FCT APC Yoruba Integrity Forum has raised the alarm over what it calls gross underrepresentation of Yoruba residents in the new cabinet of Abuja Municipal Area Council Chairman, Hon. Christopher Zakka Maikalangu.
In an open letter jointly signed by the Forum’s Chairman, Chief Dayo Lawal, and Secretary, Hon. Taiye Ibrahim, the group congratulated the chairman on his second term but expressed disappointment over the composition of 17 political appointments recently announced.
—“One slot is not fair”—
According to the Forum, Yoruba residents in AMAC received only one appointment — as Special Adviser on Community and Social Development — with no Supervisory Councillor position allocated to them.
“By any standard, this is not fair to us as one of the major ethnic groups in AMAC. A particular bloc received five political appointments, others two or three. This disparity shows total disregard for the contributions of Yorubas in the electoral process,” the letter stated.
—APC built on Yoruba-Hausa/Fulani alliance, group reminds chairman—
The Forum reminded Maikalangu that the APC is “like a family to Yorubas nationwide” and that the party was founded in 2013 on a Yoruba-Hausa/Fulani alliance with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the forefront.
It noted that Yoruba leaders and members mobilised extensively across AMAC during the electioneering campaigns.
“We cannot explain to our people at home and here in Abuja why a bloc with clear electoral value in APC in AMAC got only one appointment while others got much more,” the Forum said.
—“What is our offence?”—
Posing a direct question to the chairman, the group asked: “What is our offence? Is there any problem between you and our leaders that you chose to humiliate us and the President? We actually need to know the reason for this shabby treatment so that necessary corrections can be made.”
The Forum appealed to Maikalangu to “look beyond whatever the problem is” and consider Yoruba electoral value to the APC by granting them more appointments they deserve.
“Kindly look at the person of Mr President, and grant us better favour for his sake because there is no explanation one can give for this unpleasant situation,” the letter concluded.
—Call for calm–
The group reaffirmed its continued support and loyalty to the chairman while awaiting his favourable response and concrete steps to make Yoruba people in AMAC “feel genuinely carried along.”
The forum therefore appealed to all Yorubas resident in AMAC to remain calm and law abiding while necessary steps are being taken to correct the anomaly.
