Senate Vows To Unmask Violators Of Federal Character Principle

BY PATRICK WEMAMBU

The Senate Wednesday vowed to unmask violators of federal character principle in recruitment of personnel into the various federal government owned Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

The Federal Character principle in Nigeria is enshrined in Section 14(3) and 14(4) of the 1999 Constitution.

It mandates that the composition of the government and its agencies, at both the federal and state levels, must reflect the diversity of the country and ensure no single ethnic group or state dominates.

The principle aims to promote national unity, loyalty, and a sense of belonging for all citizens which however, been grossly violated by public officers at both the federal and State levels over the years.

In curbing the violation, the Senate had in plenary on Tuesday March 25, 2025 after exhaustive debate on motion sponsored by its minority whip, Senator Osita Ngwu (PDP Enugu West), mandated its Committee on Federal Character to investigate violation of the principle across the various MDAs.

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Kick-starting the investigation with an interactive session with heads of critical agencies on Wednesday, the committee headed by Senator Allwell Onyesoh ( PDP Rivers East) , admonished them not to hide any documents needed for the investigation.

“As enshrined in Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Federal Character Principle is fundamental to our national cohesion.

“It mandates that governance must reflect the diversity of our federation to prevent domination by any one group or region.

“Sadly, systemic abuse and ineffective enforcement have made this principle more honoured in the breach than in observance.

“Persistent non-compliance by many MDAs in both recruitment and infrastructure allocation has fueled marginalization and deepened discontent.

“The Federal Character Commission, despite its legal powers, has struggled with enforcement. This reality calls for urgent reforms—possibly including a Federal Character Compliance Tribunal—to ensure that violations are meaningfully addressed.

“This Committee will pursue its mandate through rigorous investigative hearings, interactive sessions, and, where necessary, on-the-spot assessments.

“Our approach is not punitive, but corrective. We aim to foster accountability, reinforce equity, and restore trust in our national institutions.

“We call on all stakeholders—MDAs, civil society, and the public—to support this process. Full cooperation is expected, and the Committee will not hesitate to invoke its constitutional powers under Sections 88 and 89 where necessary,” he said.

He added that President Bola Tinubu is 100% behind the planned investigation, warning that “those aiming to hide behind or under the presidency , would be disappointed as time to account for their misdeeds, has come.”

The Vice Chairman of the Committee, Senator Simon Lalong (APC Plateau South), in his remarks, said the committee was all out to stop the violation in the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians.

According to him, the first set of agencies that will face the committee for the investigation from Monday next week, are Federal Character Commission, Federal Civil Service, Nigerian Ports Authority, National Pension Commission, Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) etc.