Former Senate President and current Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, Adolphus Wabara, has called for the immediate dismissal of Chairman of the Federal Character Commission, Muheeba Dankaka, over allegations of corruption.
In an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, Wabara recounted his disheartening experience when he visited the FCC to secure job placements for individuals in his constituency.
He revealed that he was informed that positions could not be provided without a bribe.
“I physically went to the FCC, requesting two or three jobs for some people in my wards. You will not believe that up till now, nothing has been done for the simple reason that I have not dropped any money and that they cannot even ask me to drop money. But I found out from some people there that they wouldn’t give any job to my ward for free,” he said.
This revelation added to a growing list of accusations of job racketeering and corruption against the FCC.
In previous testimonies before a House of Representatives Committee investigating the matter, 14 witnesses claimed they had paid bribes to a former Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System desk officer at the FCC, Haruna Kolo, in exchange for job placements.
During an interrogation, Kolo confessed to collecting money from job seekers and alleged that he had handed it over to Dankaka.
Despite the severity of these claims, the committee led by Yusuf Gagdi (APC, Plateau) has yet to publish its findings, more than a year after the investigation began.
This delay has led to suspicions that the inquiry may have been suppressed due to the involvement of powerful individuals.
A source within the House of Representatives, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, indicated that the committee had gathered substantial evidence, but it remains unaddressed because of the influence of those implicated in the scandal.
Wabara criticized the APC-led government and the National Assembly for allegedly turning a blind eye to this serious issue.
He expressed disappointment over the lack of action, contrasting it with the swift response taken against former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, in a separate case.
“Despite the serious allegations, nothing has been done. I expected the same swift action that was taken against Betta Edu to be applied here,” Wabara remarked.
He accused the ruling party of not living up to its promise to fight corruption, claiming that corrupt practices have only increased under the current administration.
Attempts to reach the committee chairman, Gagdi, for comment were unsuccessful, as calls to his phone went unanswered.
He also did not respond to text messages or inquiries sent via WhatsApp at the time of this report.
Similarly, efforts to contact the House of Representatives spokesman, Akin Rotimi, were futile. Calls to his phone and messages sent to his WhatsApp remained unanswered.
In response to these allegations, a former Minister of Communications and an APC chieftain, Adebayo Shittu, has called for a thorough investigation.
He disclosed that he had spoken with a member of the FCC who corroborated the claims of job racketeering. Shittu emphasized the need for accountability and urged the government to take decisive action.
“If the President acted quickly against Betta Edu, similar actions should be taken in this case. We must ensure that there are no selective investigations into corruption,” Shittu stated.
He called on the authorities to urgently address the issues plaguing the FCC and restore public trust in the commission.
“This is not a political issue and not about our party, the APC, but about the need to do the right thing. People have accused this woman, and it is only through public investigation that we can certify that the woman was indeed a victim of blasphemy,” Shittu added.
He urged President Bola Tinubu and Senate President Godswill Akpabio to ensure that a proper and transparent investigation is conducted to either clear Dankaka of the allegations or hold her accountable if found guilty.
