Abrogation of Federal Character Decree, Mandatory

Nigerian National Assembly Complex, Abuja

In June 1994, the Abacha administration convened a National Constitutional Conference, and part of its recommendations was that a power sharing formula be introduced to allow equal participation of all the regions in government, and also that a Federal Character Commission (FCC) should be established to administer and promote equitable representation in all federal parastatals and agencies. Two years later, in 1996 the Abacha administration enacted Decree No. 34 establishing the Federal Character Commission empowering it under Section 4, Subsection 1c to prosecute heads of ministries and parastatals that violate these provisions.

“The Federal Character principle and the FCC are unavoidable necessities forced on Nigerian national life by the cleavages and inequalities that have scarred the nation.” - Abdul Raufu Mustapha, University of Oxford, 2007.

Twenty years after the FCC was created, some of its notable achievements are the introduction of mechanisms for non-violent resolution of ethnic and regional conflicts and developing a database of different conflict flash points in our national representation, therefore providing clear-cut statistics and analysis for their resolution. Can we then say that the commission has performed its role effectively? Have the issues that led to its creation in the first place, gone away? Is the Federal Character principle still applicable in modern day Nigeria?

These are pertinent questions that have answers that are not farfetched. For example. let us even take a cursory look at the Federal Unity Schools admission criteria, which is a product of the FCC. In Anambra State, the cut-off marks for Entrance to Federal Unity Schools are 139, whereas Imo and Enugu States are 138 and 134 points respectively. Moving northwards the criteria is visibly different and ridiculously low. The cut-off marks for Entrance to Federal Unity Schools for Kebbi State are: male (9) female (20); Zamfara, male (4) female (2) and Taraba, male (3) female (11).

The picture that is scenario has painted goes to show that it is criminal to make and raise a child in the East, because by design children born and raised in the North have been given undue advantage over their pairs in the East and a greater opportunity for them to become successful in life. You therefore, wonder if the Federal Character Initiative is still relevant, particularly, when you consider the present skewed federal appointments by President Buhari. The media is agog with reaction to the president’s pattern of appointment of bureaucratic officers.

In the first twelve months of the present administration, the president have made about thirty seven ministerial appointment and twenty six federal bureau chiefs, excluding permanent secretaries. Out of this number, only eighteen ministers are from the Southern States with States like Edo having none, while only 6 out of the twenty six appointed bureau chiefs are from the Southern States. Apparently, these inequalities in almost all aspects of our national lives have only succeeded in raising more questions and cast doubts in the minds of Nigeria about the efficacy of the Federal Character initiative.

 From one administration to another, depending on which part of the country the current president is from, people from all other parts of the country always come up with complaints of marginalization, a clear indication that the laws of Nigeria have not sufficiently addressed the issue of equity and fairness in the distribution of our resources and appointment into political offices. Senator Ben Murray Bruce called for the review of the ownership of oil blocks, and based his argument on the fact that people from the oil producing States are not given the opportunity to own oil blocks.

These discrepancies are enough to fuel violent agitation, such as those we are experience in the country at present. Peace and unity is illusive where there is no equity and fairness. In a recent article titled “Building a National Psyche, a Necessity,” publish in this blog, we extensively covered this subject and recommended ways to resolve some of the teething problems the country is currently passing through.

Democracy and the Rule of Law are instruments that have been tested and proven to bring about congeniality amongst people of various languages, cultures and traditions. The United States, Great Britain and France are ready examples. Nigeria practices democracy, but the Rule of Law open which democracy strives is absent, and until we agree to introduce equity and fairness in our national polity, we continue to go round in circles generation after generation trying to solve these basic difference without success. The playground has to made level for equal participation, peace and tranquility.
#OneNigeria