Trouble as prominent lawyer threatens president Bola Tinubu with court over ministerial list

An Abuja-based lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has said he will challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision in court in the event an indigene of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is omitted from the ministerial list.

According to Guardian, Olajengbesi said the FCT should not be denied the benefits of a state. Olajengbesi says the Federal Capital Territory deserves a ministerial slot.

He stated that it will be an injustice for the about four million FCT indigenes and population if the current administration of President Tinubu does not give it a ministerial slot, Leadership newspaper also reported.

According to Olajengbesi, it is crucial for the President to comply with a January 2018 Appeal Court judgement which ruled that indigenous people of the FCT are entitled to ministerial slots as provided by the combined provisions of sections 147 (3), 299, 14 (3) and 42 of the 1999 constitution.

Olajengbesi’s statement partly reads: “The APC-led government of President Bola Tinubu must not deny the FCT of a ministerial slot just as each of the 36 states get at least one ministerial slot.

"We’ll be challenging any contrary outcome in court.”