Some concerned indigenes of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to stop the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari’s 43 ministerial nominees screened and confirmed by the Senate. 

President Buhari had fixed August 21 as the date for the inauguration of the ministers who were confirmed by the Senate in July.

In a motion brought on behalf of the FCT indigenes by Musa Baba Panya Esq. on Thursday, they asked the court to restrain the president from conducting the inauguration because of the non-inclusion of the original inhabitants of FCT  indigenes from the list.

Panya contended that the President was in contempt of a Court of Appeal judgment delivered on January 15, 2018 which compelled him to immediately appoint an indigene of the FCT as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He argued that having ‘brazenly scorned the Oath of Allegiance and Oath of Office twice subscribed to by him as mandatorily required by the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Buhari was no longer a fit and proper person to continue holding the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and was liable to vacate the said office.

He also demanded the sum of N500 million as exemplary damages and N10 million as legal costs against President Buhari and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

Justice Taiwo Taiwo has fixed the hearing of the suit for Monday, August 20.