The House of Representatives has resolved to set up an ad-hoc committee to request the Federal Character Commission to forward the returns on appointments undertaken by Ministries, Departments and Agencies under its jurisdiction between 2015–2023.
This followed a motion titled “Need to Compel the Federal Character Commission to Diligently Discharge its Constitutional and Statutory Mandate and Responsibility” moved by Hon. Paul Nnamchi during Tuesday’s plenary .
Moving the motion, Nnamchi explained that the Federal Character Commission Act was enacted in 1995 and enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) with the primary responsibility to promote, monitor and enforce compliance with the principles of the proportional sharing of all bureaucratic, economic, media and political posts at all levels of government.
Nnamchi lamented that twenty-eight years after this purposeful enactment was aimed at national cohesion and equal opportunities, and twenty-four years after its constitutional entrenchment, the perception is that there exists brazen domination of the bureaucratic, economic, media and political posts at all levels by a section of the country at the expense of the others.
“The Federal Character Commission has virtually abdicated its constitutional and statutory responsibilities and degenerated into personality clash of interest amongst its commissioners as was the case about a year ago.
The lawmaker further observed that the Constitution of the Federal Republic Of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) empowered the National Assembly with the categorical powers under section 88(2) (6) to expose corruption, inefficiency or waste in the execution or administration of laws within its legislative competence and in the disbursement or administration of funds appropriated by it as our core oversight and supervisory duty.
