The Senate has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to reconstitute the board of the Federal Character Commission (FCC).
This was sequel to a point of order raised by the minority leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, who noted that the FCC board has lapsed since 2018.
He said since 2018, the commission has been run by an acting chairman “who has now become a sole administrator.”
“No provisions of the Act or the Constitution stipulates the need for the office of a sole administrator or an Acting Chairman. The Federal Character Commission (FCC) has been a tool For unity, equitable Formula distribution and g00d governance of the Nation.
“Failure to reconstitute the commission amounts to a constitutional breach of the Act establishing the commission,” he said.
The Senate president, Ahmad Lawan, noted that the FCC is one of those national tools that work to ensure equity, unity, fairness and Justice in terms of employment distribution across all the 36 states and the FCT.
“It is very important we have the full complement of the Commission in place and I believe that with this resolution, it will expedite action to reconstitute the membership of the Commission,” he said.
The lawmakers thereafter, urged the president to “immediately constitute the Commission as not to do so amounts to a breach of the Act establishing the Federal Character Commission and the 1999 constitution (as amended).”
The Senators concern comes on the heels of investigation into alleged job racketeering in the FCC with jobs reportedly being traded for as much as N3 million at the Nigeian Ports Authourity (NPA).
The chairman of the Senate Committee on Federal Character Commission, Danjuma Laah, disclosed the alleged racketeering to journalists on Monday.
This made the Senate to vow that it would soon begin probe of alleged sales of jobs at the NPA.
appointment letter for N3 million by Federal Character Commission (FCC).
Senator La’ah who noted that Committee has been inundated with under hand dealings that have been going on at the FCC, said, “Well, thank you for bringing the issue of job racketeering at the Federal Character Commission.
“The Senate Committee on Federal Character Commission has been investigating and we are doing everything possible to unravel those behind sales of jobs there.
“I got reports from different people on sales of jobs going on at the Federal Character Commission (FCC). Appointment into government offices for sales at the Federal Character Commission is real.
“Someone has forwarded to me a text which is in my phone that he purchased Nigeria Ports Authority job from the Federal Character Commission at N3 million.
“This is shocking. It makes my heart bleeds, I’m so sad and I am going to take drastic action in this case. If the Committee finds out this is what they have been doing, we are not going to take it lightly with them.
“No stone shall be left unturned in telling the whole country that the FCC is involved in job racketeering.
“There is high unemployment rate in Nigeria. People finished school and there is no job anywhere only to be busy selling jobs. Does it make sense?
” It’s an embarrassment to the society; it’s an embarrassment to the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“The President had earlier made a statement that he wants to make everybody to enjoy his administration whatever it will take and hundreds of thousands of undergraduates will be given appointments.
“If the investigation we are doing confirms it to be true, we are not going to take it lightly. We are gradually closing in on them”, he stated.
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