The Nigerian Senate has vowed to identify and expose ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) that have violated the federal character principle in their recruitment processes.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Senator Allwell Onyesoh (PDP–Rivers), made this known during an investigative hearing held on Wednesday.
The hearing focused on allegations of bias and non-compliance with federal character provisions by various MDAs.
Senator Onyesoh warned against attempts to conceal documents relevant to the probe, stressing that the federal character principle—enshrined in Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended)—is a cornerstone of national unity, designed to ensure inclusive governance and equitable representation.
He lamented that the principle has been repeatedly flouted by agencies, leading to marginalisation and growing dissatisfaction among different regions of the country.
“Unfortunately, despite the constitutional provisions and the mandate of the Federal Character Commission, many agencies have continued to ignore this directive. There is an urgent need for reform, including the potential establishment of a Federal Character Compliance Tribunal to address violations effectively,” he said.
The senator assured that the committee’s ongoing investigation would be thorough, relying on hearings, interactive sessions, and field assessments where necessary.
He clarified that the objective was not to punish but to correct systemic lapses.
He also noted that President Bola Tinubu is in full support of the committee’s work and warned those attempting to shield their actions behind the presidency that such tactics would no longer offer protection.
Supporting the chairman’s remarks, Vice Chairman of the committee, Senator Simon Lalong (APC–Plateau), affirmed the Senate’s commitment to ensuring fairness and transparency in recruitment across public institutions.
He said the process was crucial to preserving national unity and trust in governance.
According to Lalong, several key agencies, including the Federal Character Commission, Federal Civil Service Commission, Nigerian Ports Authority, National Pension Commission, and Independent National Electoral Commission, will begin appearing before the committee for questioning starting Monday.
Leave a Reply