Federal Character Policy Hindering Nigeria’s Development — Abaribe

The Senator representing Abia South Senatorial district, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Thursday, said the current policy of appointing persons based on federal character rather than merit is a bane to achieving significant economic growth and development in the country.

He said the policy if not restricted would allow more unqualified persons to siphon pooled resources, defeating the mandate to ensure fairness and equity in the distribution of post and socio-economic activities.

The senator stated this amid grievances in some quarters over the lopsided appointment of persons into national offices by the current administration led by President Bola Tinubu.

Abaribe, speaking at the 41st annual Olumide Memorial Lecture organised by the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors in Abuja, themed, “Why not Merit”, lamented the fact that certain public officeholders have persistently implemented federal character principles to suit their selfish ambitions through disproportionate assessment modules that discount merit.

According to him, this policy has been applied to undermine the Nigerian state rather than further the interest of the state and must be abolished.

He said, “It is baffling that the beautiful concept of Federal Character seems to have been corrupted in our country by some kind of convoluted reasoning, at least given its couching in our statutes and even its practice expectations.

“As it stands now the Federal Character principle comes out in practice to give incompetence an audacious ride against merit using geo-tribal watermarks and glass ceilings. If the Federal Character initiative intends to carry every polity along, it should not be corrupted by disproportionate assessment modules that discount merit.

“It should rather be that when equities are equal and opportunities fixed, all sections of the country should get relatively equal chances in the fixed opportunity. That way the people who are not qualified don’t get placements in the fixed opportunities merely because they come from somewhere and for that matter displace people with merit.”

He said though the principle aims to promote proficient democracy and social justice, the country’s political sociology keeps reading into the principle of such practices where unqualified people are deployed based on state of origin.

As an example, the former minority leader pointed out that federal institutions’ catchment areas are discriminatory and should be overturned by the courts because they discount merit as they limit educationally advantaged areas and favour persons from disadvantaged areas.

“Catchment area admission policies are discriminatory and ought to be struck down by the courts not just because of the fact of it being discriminatory but also of the fact that it discounts merit,” the senator said.

Continuing, Abaribe noted that the stakeholders must therefore form a synergy to delete the discriminatory national policies that undermine merit in favour of the federal character.

Earlier, in his opening remarks, the NIS president, Mathew Ibitoye, said the concept of godfatherism, rather than one’s merit and qualifications has been prevalent in the country, adding that compromise on merit aids far-reaching consequences for our society.

Noting the role surveyors play in shaping our nation’s infrastructure, land use planning, and sustainable development, Ibitoye noted that values of competence, integrity, and diligence must be enshrined in the country.

He said, “The topic, ‘Why Not Merit’, is particularly apt in addressing a situation that has been too prevalent in our country. It speaks to the heart of a concern that many of us have witnessed and experienced firsthand: the erosion of meritocracy in our institutions as organizations.

“In a nation that is built on the principles of justice, fairness, and equal is disheartening to see that the path to success is sometimes determined more by you know and the concept of godfatherism, rather than one’s merit and qualifications.

“When merit is sacrificed at the altar of nepotism and cronyism, our nation’s potential is squandered, and the aspirations of countless talented individuals go unfulfilled.

“Surveyors play a crucial role in shaping our nation’s infrastructure, land use planning, and sustainable development. When we compromise on merit, we compromise on the very foundations of our profession, with far-reaching consequences for our society.”