On Tuesday, the Senate accused several key government agencies, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Pension Commission (PENCOM), and various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), of repeatedly violating the Federal Character Principle in their appointments, promotions, and recruitment processes.
The accusation came after the Senate adopted a motion sponsored by Senator Osita Ngwu, titled “Urgent Need to Address Systemic Abuse and Ineffective Implementation of the Federal Character Principle in Nigeria’s Public Sector,” during Tuesday’s plenary session.
Senator Ngwu emphasized that Sections 14(3) and 14(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) prohibit the overrepresentation of individuals from a few states or ethnic groups in federal institutions. He expressed concern that recruitment opportunities are limited, and promotions are often based on years of service rather than merit, further marginalizing certain regions.
Ngwu highlighted that the lack of accountability in enforcing the Federal Character Principle has led to an unfair public sector, with senior-level recruitment frequently influenced by favoritism instead of merit. He argued that the principle, designed to balance merit with fair state representation, has been poorly implemented, negatively affecting discipline, morale, and the overall efficiency of federal institutions.
“The Federal Character Principle, as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, mandates fair representation in federal appointments to reflect the country’s diverse linguistic, ethnic, religious, and geographic groups. Sections 14(3) and 14(4) clearly stipulate that there should be no dominance of individuals from a few states or ethnic groups within federal institutions,” Ngwu stated.
The senator listed several agencies that have allegedly violated the Federal Character Principle, including NNPCL and its subsidiaries, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NAFDAC, Nigerian Ports Authority, PENCOM, Federal University of Technology Akure, National Library of Nigeria, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, Energy Commission of Nigeria, Solid Minerals Development Fund, and Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority. He claimed these institutions have bypassed regulations in their recruitment processes.
Ngwu warned that ongoing violations of the Federal Character laws could undermine key legislative provisions such as Section 14(d) & (e) of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, 2017, Part I(1)-(2) of Subsidiary Legislation 23 of 1997, and Section 11(2) of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011. He also raised concerns over the Federal Character Commission, which he said remains ineffective due to underfunding, political interference, and a lack of enforcement power.
In response, the Senate instructed its Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs to investigate all MDAs to assess their adherence to Federal Character provisions. The committee is expected to report its findings within four weeks.