FCC chair, commissioners lock horns over alleged job racketeering, spending

Executive Chairman, Federal Character Commission, Muheeba Farida Dankaka and some commissioners of the FCC are at loggerheads over allegations of job racketeering, lop-sided recruitment and extra-budgetary spending.

In a petition to the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission signed by Commissioners Augustine Wokocha and AbdulWasiu Bawa-Allah, on behalf of others, Dankaka was alleged to have employed 22 people, 50 percent of whom were from her senatorial district.

• I am a Fulani herdsman
• Meet the new service chiefs: who are they, what have they done?

The commissioners also alleged that Dankaka awarded a N35.71m contract for a media advert over and above the budgetary provision of N7.41m for publicity and advertisement.

They also accused her of indiscriminately granting recruitment advert waivers to MDAs in breach of the Commission’s Act.

Reacting, the Commission’s Director of Public Affairs and Communication, Dipo Akinsola, said “the allegations are not true in all areas.”

He said the commissioners had been divided as over 30 commissioners had been working in harmony with the Executive Chairman; while others “are fighting for their personal and selfish interests.”

He said the five commissioners wanted business as usual in the commission “which is not possible under the new executive chairman.”