Outcry in FCT As Council Election Holds Saturday Amid Insecurity, Infrastructural Decay, Others
- Abuja residents are in dire need of infrastructural growth in the nation's capital, even as elections hold Saturday
- Politicians have gone to God in prayers ahead of Saturday's poll, promising residents things will change
- Abuja has remained stagnant despite elections at the area councils, fueling doubts things will change
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FCT, Abuja - Unusual noise has returned to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja as the council election draws close.
In the quiet community of Ushafa, it has become very difficult to use the only manageable access road to the community due to traffic congestion resulting from campaign activities.
Source: Depositphotos
Ushafa is located in the Bwari Area Council of the nation's capital.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had announced February 12 as the date for the election in the 68 wards of the six Area Councils of the nation's capital.
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The 'battle' in the Bwari council area is majorly between Hon Audi Haruna Shekwolo and the incumbent Council Chairman, Hon. John Gabaya.
Legit.ng has observed that the same heavy campaigns can be noticed across all other area councils including Abaji, AMAC, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali.
Politicians submit to God
Most politicians in the nation's capital have fully submitted to the will of God as they go into this weekend's elections. The majority of them used last Sunday to visit churches in FCT to either inform members about their aspirations or to submit their petitions to God.
Hon. Shekwolo on Sunday presented himself to God at St. Matthews Parish in Ushafa. Legit.ng witnessed the event. The parish priest, Rev. Father Stephen Omale said that as a priest, he was unable to campaign or support a particular candidate.
Omale further declared that God should give the area council the person who is capable of tackling developmental issues within the Bwari Area Council, and other council areas within the FCT.
He, however, prayed for the chairmanship candidate and wished him well.
But opinions are rife that politicians have failed to lift the FCT beyond what it has become, especially in major satellite towns, and even in the city center.
FCT- A city living in the past
Augustine Amos, a resident of Dutse Alhaji told Legit.ng:
"They have started their noise again. How have they contributed to the development of the FCT? Most of them calling for our votes have no particular agenda.
"They can't tell us their plans because they are 'sick' politically. In fact, they have no plans for their council areas.
"Abuja that was once a cynosure of all eyes has now become a glorified village because of the slow pace of infrastructural development."
Amos argued further that Abuja has over the years remained stagnant in terms of development and that even streets lights that used to illuminate the city centre are now struggling to work.
The citizen cited the terrible state of roads in the satellite towns, especially the SCC and dam road in Ushafa where a construction company, SCC, which is in charge of road maintenance and construction, is located.
According to Amos:
"Imagine that the same road leading to a construction company can't be fixed, so where are we heading to? Politicians are always like this. They will just come with sweet talks, and after their victory, you can only hear from them again during the next election. It's a sad reality of our existence in a country that nothing works."
Infrastructural deficit
It has been observed that since a former FCT Minister, and now the governor of Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai carried out a major developmental reform in Abuja, the city has been struggling to survive.
Most roads at the satellite towns are completely impassable. Most of FCT towns have no access to portable and treated water as most residents rely on alternative water supplies to their homes through the sinking of boreholes.
A borehole expert and geologist, Engr Emmanuel Ibeh told Legit.ng at Dutse Alhaji:
"In this community, almost all landlords have sunk boreholes because they don't have access to pipe-borne water. If those who live in Ushafa, just a stone throw from the dam that is supposed to supply the entire Abuja water have no access to water, how do you expect us down here to have access to water? Now, they are calling for our votes. Very soon, we will go into the national election. How long will things continue like this?"
He further stated that the sinking of boreholes has negative effects on the soil. He recalled the earth tremor that occurred at Mpape, a satellite community in Abuja, a few years ago, blaming excessive use of the soil for the incident.
Insecurity
Recently, the Federal Capital Territory has been threatened by criminal elements including kidnappers, 'one-chance', ritualists and others. Residents have complained that the administration has done little or nothing to provide security.
It has been observed that most council areas are attacked every day by suspected criminals, yet the council chairmen and others have done little or nothing to support the police in terms of the provision of local security.
Right activist speaks
Reacting to the Saturday election, a right activist and co-ordinator of the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, Mr. Emmanuel Onwubiko told Legit.ng that Abuja is a fraud and a city politicians have turned to their ‘milking grounds.’ He lamented the high level of insecurity and infrastructural decay in the city. He stated that people no longer care about elections in the FCT as they have not been benefiting from their participation.
18 political parties justle for FCT election
Legit.ng recalls that no fewer than 18 political parties will be participating in the February 12th election and INEC had already cleared 475 candidates.
The main political parties in the election are the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The election will hold in 7 council areas of the FCT including Bwari, Abaji Gwagwalada, Kuje, Kwali and Abuja Municipal Council (AMAC).
FEC approves 56.2bn for Abuja
The Federal Executive Council, FEC, recently approved N56.2 billion worth of contracts for the construction of roads and a car park in the federal capital territory (FCT).
Mohammed Bello, FCT minister, disclosed this to newsmen in Abuja.
Despite this huge approval, residents are skeptical on how this money would be actualized for the benefit of the nation’s capital.
As the election holds this weekend, it’s yet to be seen what becomes of the nation’s capital going forward. Is it going to be a government that will push to further impoverish residents and indigenes through continuous displacement as a result of demolition or an Abuja where all citizens will be treated equally without any form of manipulation and land grabbing? Only time can tell!
Source: Legit.ng
