Labour Party senator thanks Tinubu for choosing FCT indigene as minister

The Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the upper chamber, Senator Ireti Kingibe, has praised President Bola Tinubu for nominating an FCT indigene, Zephaniah Jisalo, for ministerial appointment.

Kingibe, a Labour Party Senator, gave the commendation during the ministerial screening in Abuja on Friday, August 4, 2023.

Jisalo, who hails from Abuja Municipal/Bwari Constituency, is the first FCT indigene to be nominated for a ministerial position since the return of Nigeria to democratic rule in 1999.

The development came after years of pleas and agitations by the indigenes of the FCT, and Kingibe, who is also from the area, couldn't be more grateful to Tinubu.

Speaking during the screening, she said, "I would like to, first of all, congratulate my nominee and all of the FCT for this nomination. We are all extremely happy and proud.

“We would like to thank the president and the vice president for actually making this a reality; something that we have been wishing and hoping for a very long time.”

Meanwhile, Senator Kingibe praised the nominee, whom she described as “highly recommended”.

She also pleaded with her colleagues to allow Jisalo, who is also a former member of the House of Representatives, to take a bow and go.

“I have known him for so many years before he became local government chairman; he through two terms and after that two terms in the House of Representatives.

“So, he is well-known to me and definitely qualified to be a minister.

“Therefore, I would urge all of you, according to the protocol that we have been following and as a member of the House – two terms – that he should also take a bow.”

“We [FCT people] are so happy [to the extent] that I am actually speechless of which you know that I am not,” the lawmaker said.