FCC seeks legislative backing to deepen equity, inclusiveness in governance

The Acting Chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Kayode Oladele, has urged the National Assembly to strengthen its collaboration with the Commission to enhance equity, fairness, and inclusiveness in the distribution of public offices and socio-economic opportunities across Nigeria.

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During an interactive session with the House of Representatives Committee on Federal Character in Abuja on Tuesday, Mr Oladele underscored the need for closer synergy with lawmakers for effective oversight, increased transparency, and national stability, especially in the face of rising tensions fuelled by perceptions of exclusion and marginalisation.

He explained that the Commission continues to grapple with significant funding challenges, which hinder its capacity to monitor over 700 Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) and maintain functional offices in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Mr Oladele called on the legislature to support budgetary improvements, institutional reforms, and joint sensitisation initiatives aimed at empowering the FCC to fulfil its constitutional duties more efficiently.

Despite the Commission’s strategic mandate, he decried the lack of cooperation from some federal agencies and state governments, which often resist its oversight and hinder its operations.

He, therefore, sought legislative action to amend the Commission’s Establishment Act to provide broader autonomy, including powers to enforce compliance, implement digital monitoring, conduct recruitment audits, and expand its constitutional reach to cover civil rights protection as enshrined in the Constitution.

In reinforcing his appeal, Mr Oladele reiterated that numerous MDAs routinely challenge the Commission’s authority by claiming exemption from its oversight, while certain state governments continue to ignore its directives.

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He emphasised the urgent need for financial support and institutional independence to enable the FCC to monitor both public and private sector entities effectively and ensure compliance with constitutional provisions.

According to Mr Oladele, the FCC was designed not as an isolated institution, but as a guardian of national cohesion, tasked with upholding principles of equity and fairness across all strata of governance.

He added that synergy with the legislature would empower the Commission to enforce its mandate more effectively:

“Synergy fosters transparency and accountability. When our institutions speak with one voice, conduct joint inspections, share data, and coordinate on compliance reports, we send a strong message that no agency is above the law and that deviation from federal character principles will not be tolerated.

“Most importantly, synergy helps reduce national tension and agitation. It is no secret that many of the grievances expressed across regions in Nigeria, whether political, economic, or security-related, are rooted in perceptions of marginalisation, domination, and exclusion,” he said.

Mr Oladele reaffirmed the Commission’s operational footprint across the country, with offices in all 36 states and the FCT, and a constitutional mandate to monitor and regulate over 700 MDAs.

Committee reaffirms FCC’s constitutional supremacy
Responding during the session, the Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Character and former Deputy Speaker, Idris Wase (APC, Plateau), expressed concern over attempts by some agencies to take over or duplicate the FCC’s responsibilities.

Mr Wase emphasised that the Commission derives its authority directly from the Constitution, not from an act of parliament, and any attempt to override its mandate contradicts the nation’s supreme legal framework.

“You are a creation of the Constitution. You were not created by an act of parliament. No agency can take over your job. Tell those agencies to stay off. We will not allow that even though they are referring to their establishment act,” he said.

He condemned the increasing interference from some federal agencies, warning that such actions undermine national cohesion and the principle of federal character.

The lawmaker also revealed that the Committee had summoned the Minister of Education over controversial appointments into new educational institutions where key personnel were reportedly drawn from the same geopolitical zone, violating constitutional provisions on diversity and fairness.

“We want to see how we can address that issue, maybe by swapping some of them,” he said.

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Mr Wase reiterated that the Commission’s core responsibility is to ensure balanced distribution of public personnel and infrastructure across the country, noting that this remains critical in addressing grievances of marginalisation and ensuring inclusiveness in governance.

Mr Wase also criticised agencies that recruit staff without providing a nominal roll, stressing that such practices breach federal character guidelines and distort equitable employment distribution.

About the FCC

The Federal Character Commission (FCC) is a constitutionally established body in Nigeria created to promote equity, fairness, and inclusiveness in the distribution of public offices and socio-economic amenities among the federating units of the country.

Its mandate is derived from Section 14(3) and Part I of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which emphasises the need for national integration and balanced representation in government, to avoid dominance by any ethnic, regional, or religious group.

The FCC ensures that appointments, recruitments, promotions, and allocations of resources across Federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) reflect Nigeria’s federal character. The goal is to foster unity, reduce political tension, and eliminate marginalisation in public service.