With the appointment of former Governor of Rivers, Nyesom Wike Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) by President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday, it marks the first time a southerner is appointed into such position in 47 years.
P. M. reported that, The first time a southerner to be appointed as FCT minister was in 1976 when former military head of state, Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo appointed Mobolaji Ajose-Adeogun.
As with Wike, who was chosen by a southern president, Tinubu, to serve as FCT minister, Ajose-Adeogun was selected by a southerner to that role.
“It has taken forty-seven years for a non-Northerner to occupy that position again and coincidentally, just like in 1976, the person was appointed by a fellow Southerner,” said Reno Omokri, a former presidential spokesperson.
“Unfortunately, no original inhabitants of the region that is now the Federal Capital Territory have ever held a ministerial position.
“There had been considerable expectations that the President would designate Zephaniah Jisalo, the first FCT native to be appointed as a minister, to that position. However, we have witnessed how the cookie crumbled.
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