…….Lawmakers Moves for Stronger Federal Character Enforcement
By Fatima Saka
The Senate Committee on Federal Character and Intergovernmental Affairs has assured Nigerians that ongoing reforms within the Federal Character Commission (FCC) will strengthen fair access to employment and ensure equitable distribution of opportunities across the country.
The assurance was given during an interactive meeting on Wednesday in Abuja, even as lawmakers pressed for increased funding and deeper institutional reforms.
The session, which featured senior lawmakers, including the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro, and other members of the committee, examined the FCC’s performance, operational constraints, and its expanding mandate beyond employment distribution to include infrastructure monitoring and broader socio-economic equity.
Senator Ede Dafinone, Chairman of the Committee, in his opening remarks, described the Federal Character principle as a constitutional instrument designed to promote national cohesion, inclusion, and equal opportunity across Nigeria’s diverse regions. He noted that while the principle remains central to national stability, implementation gaps still persist across the public service.
He raised concern over continued non-compliance by ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), including failure to provide data, weak adherence to recruitment guidelines, and the exploitation of waiver provisions to bypass federal character requirements. According to him, these practices undermine transparency and fuel public distrust in government recruitment processes.
Dafinone emphasized that federal character should not be limited to employment alone but must also extend to infrastructure, education, healthcare, transportation, and other socio-economic sectors that shape national development.
“The task before us is urgent. National unity is strengthened when every citizen believes there is a place for them in the Nigerian project,” he said, reaffirming the National Assembly’s commitment to strengthening the legal and institutional framework of the Commission.
A major highlight of the engagement was the assurance that reforms being pursued by the FCC would improve Nigerians’ access to jobs through fairer and more transparent recruitment processes.
The Executive Chairman of the FCC, Hon. Hulayat Motunrayo Omidiran, told lawmakers that the Commission is working to close existing loopholes in recruitment systems to ensure that qualified Nigerians across all regions have equal opportunity to be employed.
She, however, stressed that the Commission remains significantly constrained by inadequate funding under the envelope budget system, despite its expanding mandate and nationwide responsibilities.
According to her, the FCC operates with over 1,000 staff across its headquarters and state offices, but lacks sufficient resources to conduct regular field inspections, sensitisation programmes, and monthly oversight visits to monitor compliance with federal character principles.
Omidiran further lamented that internal committees are hampered by lack of operational funding, limiting their effectiveness in carrying out statutory duties. She appealed for improved budgetary support, enhanced staff welfare, and the establishment of a dedicated tribunal to enforce federal character violations.
“We are putting systems in place to ensure Nigerians get fair opportunities. Once leakages are blocked, more qualified citizens will access jobs based on merit and equity,” she said.
Lawmakers at the session stressed that beyond employment distribution, the FCC must strengthen its role in ensuring balanced infrastructure development across the federation, warning that inequality in public investment continues to fuel agitation and mistrust.
Senator Abba Moro, the Senate Minority Leader, urged the Commission to adopt stronger data-driven approaches, insisting that credible statistics are essential for effective implementation of the federal character principle.
He argued that fair distribution of national resources and infrastructure is critical to sustaining unity, noting that perceived imbalance in development often heightens tensions across regions.
Other lawmakers called for stronger collaboration between the FCC, Federal Civil Service Commission, and MDAs to eliminate loopholes in recruitment processes and enhance accountability in public appointments.
Responding, the FCC leadership disclosed that work is ongoing on a framework for equitable distribution of socio-economic and infrastructural development, currently at draft stage and awaiting further review by the Budget and National Planning Ministry before transmission to the National Assembly.
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The Commission also revealed plans to digitise its operations through a monitoring dashboard aimed at improving oversight and compliance tracking nationwide, while an amendment bill to strengthen its legal backing has already passed first reading in the Senate.
The Senate Committee assured the Commission of full legislative support, pledging to back reforms that will enhance institutional capacity, improve recruitment fairness, and ensure that the federal character principle delivers on its constitutional promise of national balance and inclusiveness.
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