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Oyo, Osun commissioners restate FCC’s commitment to avert lopsidedness
The Federal Character Commission (FCC) on Thursday restated its commitment to averting lopsidedness.
It was also stated that the FCC was established to promote , monitor and enforce strict compliance with the guiding principles and formulae designed to ensure proportional sharing of all bureaucratic, economic, media and political posts at all levels of government ditto for socio- economic amenities and infrastructural.
The Commission’s Commissioners representing Oyo and Osun states, Professor Adeniyi Olowofela and Barrister Abdulrazak Âdeoye said this during a courtesy visit to the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS) in Ibadan.
In their separate remarks, the federal commissioners said the Commission’s core aim was to avert lopsidedness, thus “the basis whereby when MDAs want to employ they come to us, we look at their list and we ensure compliance”.
They maintained that the FCC had successfully worked out equitable formulae for the distribution of all cadres of posts in the public services of the federation, state, local government and government owned companies, parastatals and agencies, adding that the commission was further mandated by the constitution to take legal measures against any individual, federal or state ministry, local government or government agency which fails to comply with the guiding principles and formulae prescribed or adopted by it.
According to Prof. Olowofela, the FCC was empowered to demand and receive returns on employment and socio-economic indices from any government enterprise or body, corporate and penalize any enterprise which does not comply with a request from the commission. The ex-Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology and former council gaffer of Ido Local Government also disclosed that the commission has devises a committee system to effectively monitor the implementation of its guidelines and formulae for the distribution of posts and socio-economic amenities amongst the federating units.
“We were created to avert lopsidedness. There is virtually no agency that wants to give people job that will not invite us at the FCC. The basis for inviting us is to ensure that the principle is followed. By and large, the commission is hopeful that whenever fresh recruitments are being made in your establishment, you would inform us accordingly for the statutory monitoring of the recruitment exercise. The monitoring exercise would give ample opportunities to candidates, especially those from under represented LGAs to fill their vacant slots, there by reducing whatever imbalances that may exist in the distribution of posts in your Broadcasting Corporation”, he said.
Olowofela, however solicited for the corporation’s support and cooperation for the implementation of the FCC principles so as to collectively achieve a strong, united and economically formidable state and nation of our dream.
Also commenting, the FCC Commissioner representing Osun state, Barrister Adeoye maintained that the FCC was a creation of the Military’s Decree 34 of 1996 following the yearnings of the people for correction of imbalances in the distribution of posts in the public services of the federation as well as Social and Economic facilities.
Adeoye informed that the commission was one of the fourteen independent federal executive bodies established by section 153 of the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended. He stressed that its composition, functions and powers are as prescribed by the constitution and amplified by the Federal Character Commission Act Cap F7 LFN 2004.
“It is important to state that this particular commission was established with the aim of making this executive body independent, and answerable only to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”, he emphasized.
Speaking further, Barrister Adeoye noted that the Southwest have always been having misdemeanor lopsidedness. He explained that there are parameters which the FCC has set for every state of the federation, urging the region to take active steps whenever there is any recruitment exercise (s)
The Osun FCC Commissioner harped on the need for the people of Southwest to be sensitized, advising them to report any imbalance to the states’ representatives.
Responding, Mr Dotun Oyelade , the Executive Chairman of the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS) who was represented by its General Manager, Mr. Tunde Ajayi assured the FCC of the corporation’s support.
” For us at BCOS, we have the consciousness that will need to uphold the unity of Nigeria”, he added.
Meta has agreed to pay President Donald Trump $25 million to settle a 2021 lawsuit he filed claiming he was wrongfully censored by Facebook and Instagram after the US Capitol riot, the company said Wednesday.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the settlement of the suit brought against Meta and its chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, in what was seen as a victory for Trump.
According to people familiar with the agreement, the Journal said, $22 million of the payment will go towards funding Trump’s future presidential library, with the remainder covering legal fees and payments to other plaintiffs in the case.
Meta in the settlement will not admit wrongdoing over the suspensions of Trump’s accounts.
A spokesperson for Meta confirmed the settlement to AFP.
FILES: Mark Zuckerberg (REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo)
Trump had widely criticized social media platforms for suspending his accounts after the January 6, 2021 insurrection by his supporters, and comments he made that were seen as praising people engaged in the violence.
But he has recently courted tech titans including Zuckerberg and X owner Elon Musk, both of whom attended Trump’s presidential inauguration last week in Washington.
Zuckerberg has expressed support for Trump, and he has tweaked Meta’s policies to lift restrictions on some content within the company’s apps, which include Facebook, Instagram, Threads and WhatsApp.
Meta would be “restoring free expression on our platforms,” Zuckerberg, who reportedly dined with Trump at his Florida estate in November, said this month in announcing a rollback of fact-checking operations.
The settlement is the latest bow by media corporations as they gird for a second Trump presidency.
In December, ABC News agreed to pay a $15 million settlement payment to resolve a defamation lawsuit brought by Trump stemming from on-air comments about him made by a top anchor.
Earlier Wednesday Meta reported its net income soared by 59 percent to $62.36 billion for the full year.
Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has issued a stern warning against any attempt to establish a Sharia Court in the state, emphasizing that such courts cannot be legally constituted without the proper legal framework.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Governor Abiodun addressed the circulation of a digital notice announcing the launch of a Sharia Court in Ogun State, clarifying that no Sharia Court is authorized to operate within the state.
He underscored that only courts established under the legal framework of the Nigerian Constitution are recognized, including Magistrates’ Courts, the High Court, Customary Courts, Customary Court of Appeal, Federal High Court, National Industrial Court, Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court.
“The Ogun State Government has noted the circulation of a digital notice announcing the launch of a Shari’ah Court in Ogun State,” Abiodun stated.
“No Sharia Court is authorized to operate within Ogun State. The courts that are legally empowered to adjudicate disputes arising within Ogun State are those established by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or by State Laws.”
Governor Abiodun further stressed that Sharia law does not form part of the legal framework governing the state, asserting that the state government upholds and protects the rights of individuals to practice their religion freely but draws the line at unauthorized institutions.
“The Ogun State Government recognizes the freedom of individuals to practice their religion or to subscribe to no religion,” he continued. “However, this freedom does not extend to the formation of unauthorized assemblies or institutions. No individual or group is legally permitted to constitute a court or present themselves to the public as a court without legal backing.”
The governor directed those behind the illegal Sharia Court notice to immediately cease their activities and disband the unauthorized entity, warning that they have no legal standing to administer justice.
“The Ogun State Government hereby directs that all persons involved in the creation or operation of this unauthorized court must immediately cease all related activities and disband the illegal entity and all its apparatus,” Abiodun added.
He also urged the public to disregard any summons, documents, or individuals associated with the illegal court, advising that such matters be promptly reported to the authorities.
Abiodun concluded by reaffirming the state’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and maintaining the integrity of Ogun’s legal and judicial framework, stressing that the government will prevent any disruption of law and order.
The Naira appreciated to N1,640 per dollar in the parallel market on Tuesday, strengthening from N1,655 per dollar recorded on Monday.
Similarly, data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) showed that the official exchange rate at the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM) improved to N1,526.3 per dollar, compared to N1,533.5 per dollar on Monday, reflecting a N7.2 gain for the local currency.
As a result, the exchange rate margin between the parallel market and the official NFEM rate narrowed to N113.7 per dollar, down from N121.5 per dollar recorded on Monday.
The Naira’s recent appreciation follows a period of volatility over the past 18 months, marked by sharp declines. However, since December 2023, the currency has shown relative stability, fluctuating within a narrow range of 1,550 to 1,520 per dollar.
CBN Reforms Drive Naira Stability
Analysts attribute the Naira’s improved performance to ongoing foreign exchange (FX) reforms by the CBN. Key initiatives include the Electronic Foreign Exchange Matching System (EFEMS) introduced in December 2023 and the FX Code, which is set to be launched by the end of January 2024.
Speaking on the impact of these reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of Nigeria’s Fiscal Policy and Tax Committee, noted that the new FX Code would enhance market transparency. He also stated that the policy has helped remove approximately $20 million daily from speculative trading.
CBN Governor: Naira Now More Competitive for Investors
CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, reaffirmed that the exchange-rate reforms have strengthened the naira and created opportunities for investors.
“We’ve found ourselves in a situation where the foreign exchange rate has adjusted,” Cardoso said during a virtual briefing organized by the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG).
He further noted that last year’s sharp depreciation of the naira has now presented an opportunity for investors to capitalize on a more competitive currency.
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