BY AHMED TUKUR, ABUJA – One of the 37 Federal Commissioners in the Federal Character Commission (FCC) representing Niger state, Major-General Suleiman Barau Sa’ad (retd) has dissociated himself from his colleagues calling for the probe of the Commission’s chairman, Hajiya Maheeda Dankaka over alleged illegal recruitment in Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs).
A statement personally signed by Major-General Sa’ad (retd.) and made available to Forefront News, stated that he was never part of such an arrangement or documents to that effect.
Forefront News published an exclusive story titled; “Job Scandal: FCC’s Commissioners Want Buhari To Probe Chairman’s Illegal Recruitment” in which 33 commissioners of the FCC met at an emergency plenary and presented a document demanding for a probe of the Commission’s chairman over alleged issuance of illegal waivers to some Ministries, Departments and Agencies to recruit.
The four paragraph statement by the Sa’adu enjoined members of the public to disregard the purported story adding that he knew nothing
about the said document.
“I enjoin all concerned and the general public to disregard the said document,” Sa’adu said.
However, Forefront News reliably gathered that after the published story one of the Commissioners tried to convene a meeting on Sunday November 22, 2020 to discuss on how to block loopholes identified in the story but was vehemently rebuffed by his colleagues.
The commissioners pointedly refused to allow the meeting to hold as most of them rejected the idea saying that they were on an official assignment mostly for the Nigerian Army recruitment exercise and other engagements.
“We will reconvene after the expiration of the one week ultimatum given to the chairman to discuss further actions”.
It was also gathered that about 33 commissioners met and demand for an investigation into the level of irregularities perpetrated by the Commission’s chairman, Hajiya Muheeda Dankaka particularly as it concerns the unilateral granting of waiver to MDAs to recruit without reference and observance of the federal character principles.
Sources close tone of the meetings confided in Forefront that it was a rowdy session that resulted into shouting when the commissioners presented a 15 page document during an emergency plenary
meeting of the commission last week Thursday with the chairman in attendance.
Significantly, 34 of the 37 commissioners of the FCC attended the plenary while one eventually walked just as three were absent with one on official assignment outside of Abuja.
The commissioners who represent various states are feeling shortchanged as their various states are missing out in so many of the recruitment exercises that have created clear in-balance.
The FCC’s commissioners therefore demanded for a probe of the activities of the chairman to determine the number of waivers issued to various MDAs of government to carry out recruitment without requisite approvals.
A document with reference number FCC /FC/HQ/2020/001 dated November 18, 2020 alleged granting of waivers and issuance of certificate of compliance by the chairman without abiding to federal character principle.
The commissioners said in the document that; “we have made several attempts individually and collectively at different times to advise and guide the commission’s chairman given our enviable wealth of experience. We further documented our concern, worries and mandated a team of commissioners led by General Sa’ad to meet with the chairman.”
However, Sa’ad denied been part of the team that met and advised the chairman of the commission which the document quoted.
