By George Ozalla
The Senate Committee on Federal Character and Intergovernmental Affairs on Wednesday, 3rd June 2026, at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja, expressed support for ongoing reforms at the Federal Character Commission (FCC) aimed at strengthening transparency and ensuring fair access to federal employment across the country.
The position was made during an engagement between the committee and the leadership of the Commission, which was also attended by FCC commissioners representing various states of the federation. Lawmakers reviewed compliance with federal character provisions, recruitment practices in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and operational challenges affecting effective enforcement.
Chairman of the committee, Senator Ede Dafinone, said the federal character principle remains a key constitutional safeguard designed to promote unity, inclusion, and balance across Nigeria’s diverse regions.
He stressed that gaps in implementation continue to generate concerns in public service recruitment, adding that stronger enforcement mechanisms are required to ensure compliance across government institutions.
Dafinone further stated, “The federal character principle is central to national cohesion, and its proper implementation is essential to sustaining trust in the system.”
He added that, “Every citizen must feel they have a place in the Nigerian project. When inclusion is weakened, national unity is also affected.”
In their individual remarks and contributions, members of the committee stressed the need for stronger coordination between the Federal Character Commission (FCC) and relevant government agencies, particularly in recruitment data management and compliance enforcement across MDAs.
FCC Chairman, Ayo Omidiran, a former two- term member of the House of Representatives, told the committee that the Commission is intensifying efforts to close loopholes in recruitment processes that have, in some cases, affected fairness in federal job distribution.
Omidiran further stated, “We are working to eliminate gaps in the system to ensure that qualified Nigerians, regardless of where they come from, have equal opportunity in federal employment.”
She stressed that inadequate funding and logistical constraints have continued to limit the Commission’s capacity to carry out nationwide monitoring and compliance inspections.
Omidiran further added that, “Our operations require stronger support in terms of funding and logistics. These challenges affect how far and how effectively we can monitor compliance across MDAs.”
She also explained that ongoing reforms within the Commission are aimed at strengthening monitoring systems and improving data-driven enforcement of federal character guidelines.
The committee also added its backing to calls for improved budgetary allocation for the Commission, noting that effective implementation of the federal character principle depends on both institutional capacity and adequate resources.
