The Federal Character Commission (FCC) has denied allegations made by former Senate President and current chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) board of trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara.
In a publication dated September 21, 2024, Wabara claimed that he was asked to pay a bribe for FCC job slots.
Another statement issued over the weekend in Abuja by the FCC’s director of public affairs and communication, Dr. Chuks Okoli clarified that the commission is not a recruiting agency but a regulatory body.
Part of the statement read: “The commission would not have bothered to respond to this malicious allegation if not for the personality involved. As a former Senate President, Senator Wabara should know the commission’s mandate, which is to enforce the Federal Character principle. This principle ensures the fair and equitable distribution of posts, socioeconomic amenities and infrastructure among Nigeria’s federating units.”
Shedding more light on the interaction between the commission and the senator, the statement recalled that Wabara paid a courtesy visit to FCC executive chairman, Dr. Muheeba Dankaka in March 2023. He was received by a team of commissioners from Oyo, Taraba, Niger, Katsina, Bayelsa, as well as FCC directors and the chairman’s special assistant.
During the meeting, Wabara unexpectedly requested job assistance for his children and grandchildren. The executive chairman made it clear that the FCC is not a recruiting agency but only monitors recruitment exercises by ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to ensure fairness and equity for all candidates, regardless of social status. The statement suggested that Wabara may have been displeased by this response, given his position.
The commission urged Wabara to name the individuals who allegedly asked him for a bribe to secure job slots for his children and grandchildren.
The statement called on the public to disregard the unsubstantiated bribery allegation. It emphasised that, since her appointment, the executive chairman has strictly adhered to the Federal Character principle in staff recruitment across MDAs.
