Ambassadorial list: Abuja natives express hope

Natives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have expressed confidence that the rejection of 46 noncareer ambassadorial nominees by the Senate will afford Abuja indigenes the opportunity to be included in subsequent list.

The natives anchored their hope on a promise made by the Secretary to the Government of Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal, when he assured Abuja natives that they would be considered whenever the opportunity arose.

A press statement issued by the president of Abuja Original Inhabitants Youth Empowerment Organization, Commandant Isaac David, noted that there was no better opportunity than the rejection of 46 ambassadorial nominees by the Senate, stressing that this rejection will serve as an opportunity for the SGF to fulfil his promise to Abuja indigenes.

"There is no better opportunity than this recent development of the Senate rejection of the ambassadorial nominees sent by President Muhammad Buhari. This is the time for the SGF, Babachir David Lawal to demonstrate that he is a man of his words by including an indigene of Abuja in the subsequent ambassadorial nominees after wide consultation.

"We have cried enough of this political marginalization of the Abuja natives and it is our conviction that this is an opportunity for us to be included because when our royal fathers paid the SGF a courtesy call a month ago, he rendered an apology to indigenes of the FCT over their exclusion in federal appointments by this administration.