Lawmakers Decry Buhari’s Violation of Federal Character

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The House of Representatives has decried the violation of the principles of federal character by President Muhammadu Buhari following the recent appointment of the Secretary and Chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) from the same zone.

To this end, the House has advised the federal government to ensure it adheres to the principle of Federal Character. The resolution of the House was sequel to the adoption of a motion moved at the plenary yesterday by Hon. Unyime Idem.

Idem, while moving the motion said in compliance with the resolution of the House dated February 25, 2020, the President had on April 28, 2020, appointed the Chairman and Commissioners of the Federal Character Commission.

He said the current Secretary of the Commission was appointed as a substantive Secretary to the Commission in March 2017, whose tenure was expected to end on April 7, 2021, but was re-appointed by the President on 7 April 2021 for a second term;

Idem added: “Cognisant that the current Chairman of the Commission and the re-appointed Secretary are from the same Zone. Also cognisant that the Chief Commissioner of the Public Complaint Commission and secretary of the Commission are from the same part of the country.”

Idem said the FCC is one of the agencies of the federal government with the responsibility to promote, monitor and enforce compliance with the principles of the proportional sharing of all bureaucratic, economic, and political positions at all levels of government.

He pointed out that the Principle of Federal Character, as contained in the Act governing the Commission, to the effect that leadership positions must be equally distributed between zones. The lawmakers therefore mandated the House Committee on Federal Character to ensure compliance.