By Gloria Ikibah
Members of the House of Representatives, Rep. Gaza Gbefwi has expressed displeasure with the handling of the indigenous people of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as they condemned the approach adopted in resettling the people from their ancestral homes to strange locations, and some times no alternative settlement areas are provided.
Reacting to his colleague, Rep. Awaji-Inombek Abiante, urged Nigerians to stand up, and speak against all forms of oppression, irrespective of all biases.
The lawmaker made this remarks when the House of Representatives Committee on FCT Area Councils and Ancillary Matters met with members of the FCT Traditional Council on Monday in Abuja.
He said: “It is painful how the people are being taken advantage of. The people of the FCT have no other home than the FCT.”
Rep Abiante who recalled multiple resettlement programmes which never ended well in favour of the indigenes, charged the traditional rulers led by Chairman of the FCT Traditional Council, HRH, Alhaji Adamu Baba Yunusa to stand firm in defence of their subjects, who they were appointed to protect.
Abainte took advantage of the session to blame the government on how the people of the Niger Delta have been deprived of their good lives, citing the recent proclamation of State of Emergency in Rivers State as oppressive and against the wishes of the people.
“It has happened in Rivers State and nobody is saying anything. If you don’t speak against injustice today, tomorrow, there would be nobody to speak for you when there is injustice. Today, it has hit you and it is moving until it gets to everybody”, he said.
The lawmaker recalled that the beginning of exploration of crude oil Nigeria was a private initiative by the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) which was going well until Nigeria nationalised petroleum as a national asset, setting the stage for the myriads of problems facing the nation today.