FG Gives Marching Order to Federal Character Commission

Tinubu to FCC commissioners: Nigeria feels fragile when federal character principle is abused

President Bola Tinubu says members of the board of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) should ensure transparency, professionalism and consistency in their engagements and decisions.

On January 22, Tinubu swore in Ayo Omidiran as chairperson of the FCC, alongside 37 commissioners representing the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), at the State House, Abuja.

Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday at the opening of a two-day induction programme for the commissioners, the president said Nigerians must come to see the commission not as another bureaucratic institution, but as a guardian of fairness and national inclusion.

Represented by Femi Gbajabiamila, his chief of staff (CoS), Tinubu added that the country “feels fragile” when the federal character princple is abused.

“Transparency in your processes, professionalism in your engagements, and consistency in your decisions will deepen public confidence in your work and ensure your success in this assignment,” he said.

“I urge you to reflect deeply on the weight of the office you now hold. This is not routine public service.

“This is constitutional stewardship. You are custodians of one of the most delicate compacts holding our nation together.

“When the federal character principle is upheld with wisdom, Nigeria feels fair. When it is ignored or abused, Nigeria feels fragile. Your actions will therefore resonate far beyond your offices.

“They will echo in communities. They will shape trust. They will influence belief in the Nigerian project itself.”

He noted that the work of the commission is both preventive and corrective, adding that the commissioners, in carrying out their duties diligently, are preventing disputes and sustaining confidence in the state.

“Nigeria’s diversity is often described as a challenge. It is also our greatest strength. It gives us resilience,” Tinubu said.

“It gives us reach. It gives us perspective. But diversity only becomes strength when it is managed with justice.

“Without justice, diversity becomes division. Your task is to ensure that justice remains visible. Justice that is fair. Justice that is balanced. Justice that is grounded in the Constitution and applied without fear or favour.”

George Akume, secretary to the government of the federation (SFG), said the federal character principle remains a cornerstone of Nigeria’s national cohesion and democratic stability.

Akume said the principle is a constitutional imperative that demands strict compliance across all ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).

He added that the federal government expects the commission to intensify monitoring, strengthen data-driven oversight, and ensure faithful implementation of this principle without compromise.

“Your work as members of this fifth board will significantly shape public perception of fairness, inclusion, and justice in governance,” the SGF said.

“The manner in which you discharge your duties must therefore reflect objectivity, professionalism, and unwavering loyalty to the Constitution, as public trust in our institutions depends largely on your decisions and conduct.”

Earlier, Omidiran said FCC occupies a unique and sensitive position within Nigeria’s governance architecture, noting that it exists to promote fairness, inclusiveness, balance, and justice within a nation defined by diversity. T

“The federal character principle is not a political slogan; it is a stabilising framework designed to manage pluralism, foster unity, and ensure that no section of the country feels excluded from the benefits and responsibilities of governance,” she said.

“This principle reflects Nigeria’s collective resolve to build unity through equity, cohesion through inclusion, and loyalty through justice.