The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has suspended the inauguration of the newly elected Area Council Chairmen and Councillors.
The Area Council officials were scheduled to be inaugurated on Thursday, however, a statement by Muhammad Bello, the Minister of FCT halted the inauguration.
The statement said the action followed a court order extending the tenure of the existing council officials from three to four years based on the provision of the new amended Electoral Act.
However, the minister vowed to appeal the court’s decision on the development soon.
The statement reads, “As you are all aware, in March of 2019, we held the Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory, whereby Six Council Chairmen and their Councillors were elected after a very competitive and rigorous process.
“These six Council Chairmen of the FCT were then inaugurated on the 20th of May 2019, under the 2010 Electoral Act. Based on that Act, the tenure of the Chairmen would end today and the new chairmen, based on the elections held in February this year, would be sworn in on 20th May 2022.
“But a few days ago, we received communication of a judgment by a court in the Federal Capital Territory directing us to suspend the inauguration of the new chairmen, based on the fact that the current Chairmen’s tenure would end today, 19th May 2022.
“According to the judgment, based on the recently signed Electoral Act of 2022, which stipulates that the tenure of office of the Chairmen of the Area Councils in FCT would now be four years instead of three years, the existing Chairmen whose tenure were meant to expire or end today, have another one year to continue, based on the new law.”
