By Bayode Oluwasanmi
Nigeria is a troubled nation going through tortured times. Sixty years ago, Nigeria became independent. Till today, our federal system of government continues to experience tensions due to issues of inequality and ethnic domination.
The Federal Character Commission was established to ensure federal character principle that will guarantee equitable representation of different groups in all tiers of the federal government. Twenty years after it was established, the FCC has failed woefully to address the historical imbalances in federal civil service, federal agencies/parastatals.
Provisions 14.3 and 14.4 of the 1999 constitution require that there is “no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups” in the federal government and its agencies.
Now, consider this:
1. Customs – Ahmed Ali
2. Prisons – Jaafaru Ahmed
3. Ibrahim Alhassan Musa – Chairman of Governing Board – Nigeria Railway Corporation
4. Aviation – Hadi Sirika.
5. Immigration – Muhammed Babandede
6. FIRS – Muhammed Nami
7. SSS/DSS – Yusuf Magaji Bichi
8. ICPC – Bolaji Owasanoye
9. CCT – Danladi Umar
10. Supreme Court – Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad
11. EFCC – Ibrahim Magu
12. Police – IGP Muhammed Adamu
13. Judiciary- federal judges – Justice Tsoho John Terhemba, Court of Appeal – Her Lordship Justice M. S Dongban-Mensem
14. NTA – Yakubu Muhammed
15. Federal Radio Corporation – Mansur Liman
16. Federal Character Commission – Hon. Abubakar Yahaya Kusada
17. NJC – Hon. Abubakar Yahaya Kusada
18. Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) – Mr. Bassey Eleng Bassey
19. National Judicial Institute (NJI) –
20. Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) – Dr. Bashir Jamoh
21. Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) – Hadiza Bala Usman.
22. Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) – Hassan Bello,
23. Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) – Air Vice Marshal Mohammed Sani Usman
24. National Intelligence Agency (NIA) – Ahmed Rufai Abubakar,
25. Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) – Isha’q Modibbo Kawu
26. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Bayo Onanuga.
27. Nigerian Press Council (NPC)
28. National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) – Prof. Mohammed Nasir Sambo
29. National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) – Obi Adigwe
30. National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) – Prof. Idoko
31. National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) – Professor Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye.
32. National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) – Dr Faisal Shuaib
33. Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) – Professor Innocent Ujah
34. Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) – Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu
35. National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) – Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah
36. Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) – Suleiman Hassan
37. Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN) – Prof. Adeshola Adepoju
38. National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) – Ebegba Rufus Eseoghene
39. National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) – Professor Aliyu Jauro
40. National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) – Musa Idris
41. Energy Commission of Nigeria – Prof. Eli Jidere Bala
42. National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN) – AHMED BOLAJI NAGODE
43. Nigerian Electricity Regulation of Nigeria (NERC) – Prof James Momoh
44. Nigerian Content and Monitoring Board of Nigeria (NCMDB) Engr. Simbi Wabote
45. Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) – IDRIS YAU
46. Rural Electrification Agency (REA) – SANUSI MOHAMMED OHIARE
47. Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Ishaq Olanrewaju Oloyede,
48. National Examination Council (NECO) – Abubakar M. Gana
49. National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) – Professor Abdalla Uba Adamu
50. National Teachers Institute (NTI) Prof. Garba Dahuwa Azare
51. National Universities Commission (NUC) – Prof. Abubakar Rasheed
52. Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) – Professor Josiah Olusegun Ajiboye.
53. National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) – Ifeoma Isiugo-Abanihe
54. Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) – Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar – Chairman
55. West African Examination Council (WAEC)- Hajia Binta Abdulkadir
56. National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) – Prof.Bappa- Aliyu Muhammadu
57. National Library of Nigerian (NLN) – Prof. Lenrie Olatokunbo Aina
58. Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) – Ahmed Kuru
59. Social Security Administration of Nigeria (SSA) –
60. Budget Office of the Federation (BOF) – Ben Akabueze
61. Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) – Mr. Alex A. Okoh
62. Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) – Ahmed Idris
63. Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) – ALHAJI GARBA ABUBAKAR
64. Debt Management Office (DMO) – Ms Patience Oniha
65. Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) – Ahmed Musa Dangiwa
66. Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) – Engr. Chidi K. C. Izuwah
68. National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) – Dr. Yemi Kale
69. National Council on Privatisation (NCP) – Yemi Osinbajo
70. National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) – Sunday Thomas
71. National Pension Commission (PenCom) – Hajia Aisha Dahir-Umar
72. National Planning Commission (NPC) Prof. Yemi Osinbajo
73. National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) – Latif Demola Busari
74. Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) – Prof K.D Pondei
75. Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) – Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim
76. Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) – Yewande Sadiku
Out of the 76 federal agencies listed above, 49 is headed by Northerners while Southerners are in charge of 27 agencies. Welcome to federal character dominated by the Northerners!
