Senate Turns Heat On NNPCL, NAFDAC Over Sh*cking Regional Bias Allegations

The Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs has launched a series of investigative hearings to probe alleged violations of the Federal Character principle by multiple ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).

This probe follows a motion introduced in March 2025 by Senator Osita Ngwu, representing Enugu West, which was subsequently adopted by the Senate.

The motion, titled “Urgent Need to Address Systemic Abuse and Ineffective Implementation of the Federal Character Principle,” pointed to widespread and repeated cases of non-compliance within various federal institutions.

In its resolution, the Senate flagged numerous government bodies suspected of breaching Sections 14(3) and 14(4) of the amended 1999 Constitution.

Among those being investigated are the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and its subsidiaries, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), National Pension Commission (PENCOM), Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), National Library of Nigeria (NLN), Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), and Nigeria Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA).

These agencies stand accused of “blatantly disregarding” constitutional mandates designed to ensure fairness and equitable representation in governance.

On Tuesday, May 6, 2025, the Committee Chairman, Senator Allwell Heacho Onyesoh of Rivers East, confirmed that the panel is investigating irregularities in recruitment practices and the allocation of infrastructure across the country. The committee is expected to present its findings to the full Senate within three months.

The hearings are scheduled to begin on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, in the Equal Opportunities Hearing Room 211 at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.

All implicated institutions have been formally invited, with instructions regarding the dates, documentation, and appearance procedures.