The Senate through its Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure combination of merit and federal character principle on appointments of people into public offices.
Specifically, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele (APC Ekiti Central), gave the admonition on Monday during confirmation hearing held for Hon Justice Salisu Garba Abdullahi as the Chief Judge of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
He stated that it was not only morally and politically correct to ensure compliance with federal character principle, but also a fundamental obligation imposed on government and all its functionaries as contained in the 1999 constitution (as amended).
The lawmaker urged all individuals and bodies saddled with the responsibility of making appointments, recommendations to the president to ensure compliance with both the eligibility criteria and federal character principle.
This, he said, was to avoid unnecessarily heating up the polity and eroding the unity and strength of the country.
Her said: “The need for merit and compliance in the consideration of citizens for appointment, including the ones that will come before the Senate for confirmation, must be re-emphasised for the record.
“In addition to ensuring that potential appointees meet the eligibility criteria stipulated for the relevant public offices into which they are being appointed, adequate care must also be taken to ensure that the federal character principle established by virtue of the clear provision of Section 14, Sub-section (3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as altered) is not undermined.”
