By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
Legislative Expert and Public Affairs Analyst, Akinloye Oyeneyin has described the recently composed board of the Federal Character Commission as lacking balance and national spread.
In a statement releasesd on Thursday, he urged President Muhammadu Buhari to adhere to the constitution.
According to him, “if according to the FCC Act and the 1999 Constitution, the Commission is to implement and enforce the Federal Character Principle of fairness and equity in the distribution of public posts and socio-economic infrastructures among the various federating units of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, appointing both chairman and secretary of the FCC Board from the North instead of North and South as it’s been before is a clear foulness of The Principle.
“It’s of note that the Legal Adviser of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Mohammed Tukur, was appointed and still in office as the Secretary of the FCC.
“It’s of note also that instead of the then outgoing acting Chairman, Mallam Shettima handing over to the most senior Commissioner who happened to be a southerner, he was directed to hand over to Secretary Mohammed Tukur.
“It’s also worthy of note that, another northerner, Abdullahi Shinkafi was again appointed after that as the acting Chairman of the Commission.
“So, the president appointing another northerner as the chairman again, in addition to the secretary position is not only unnationalistic and divisive in approach but negates the principle for which the commission was established,” he added.
