The Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Tuesday explained how he had problems with the Executive as Speaker of the House of Representatives, when the House refused to approve an infrastructural loan sought by the Federal Government for the Federal Character Commission (FCC), which excluded the South East zone.

The former Speaker gave the explanation in Abuja in a keynote address he delivered on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the two-day induction programme for newly inaugurated Commissioners of the Federal Character Commission, with the theme: “A Guide to the Implementation and Enforcement of the Federal Character Principle.”

According to him, the FCC had applied for a foreign infrastructural loan for the zones but excluded the South East.

He said that the House refused to approve the loan until the Commission included the South East zone.

His words: “I remember vividly, as Speaker, the government had sought approval for a foreign infrastructural loan. The members of the House scrutinized the application with a fine-tooth comb and discovered the loan was specific and covered all zones except the Southeast. We refused to pass it for months and kept it in abeyance until we were able to extract the commitment of government to include the South East in the loan infrastructural distribution. Even though the government of the day was not happy with me, I had a job to do to ensure that federal character was embedded in the application of the loan.”

He charged the Commission to implement its activities as provided by the Constitution.

He said, “The Federal Character Commission occupies a uniquely strategic place in our national architecture. The framers of our Constitution appreciated the need to incorporate mechanisms to manage our tribal, religious, and ethnic diversity within a framework that expressly recognises this diversity and actively seeks to ensure it is reflected in the composition of our federal government and its agencies.

“Nigeria is a nation shaped by many peoples, cultures, languages, and histories. Managing this diversity fairly is both a political necessity and a moral obligation. The FCC exists to ensure that our country fulfils this constitutional duty and that no part of the country is left out of its present and future. Your work ensures that public institutions reflect the collective ownership of all Nigerians, regardless of state, ethnicity, faith, or region, so that every citizen sees the nation’s institutions as their own.”

Earlier in her welcome address, the Executive Chairman of the Commission, Hon. Hulayat Motunrayo Omidiran, said the workshop was organised to forge a direction for the Commissioners and to help them fit into the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu.

Hon. Omidiran further warned that under her watch, it is not going to be business as usual because she will insist that things are done in line with the Constitution of the country.

“This induction workshop has therefore been deliberately designed to provide clarity of purpose, shared understanding, and strategic coherence. It is meant to remind us why we are here, what the nation expects of us, and the reasons we must carry out our responsibilities with discipline, professionalism, and absolute fidelity to the law.

“Our work has implications for national unity, peaceful coexistence, and sustainable development. When the Federal Character Principle is properly implemented, it ensures that opportunities are fairly distributed, representation is balanced, and development is inclusive.

“Let me clearly state that under this Board, it will not be business as usual. We are fully committed to strict adherence to our enabling laws, institutional discipline, ethical conduct, and accountability. We shall discharge our responsibilities without fear or favour; we shall be guided by the rule of law, driven by national interest, and inspired by the collective goodwill of the Nigerian people.”

In his goodwill message, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. George Akume, said he is happy that Hon. Omidiran was chosen to lead the FCC at this time.

He expressed his confidence that the era of friction was over, adding that the new Chairman has the presence of mind to always resolve issues before they spiral out of control.

Akume said the workshop was a deliberate effort to bring all board members to terms with the aspirations of the federal government, which is to ensure national unity and even development of all parts of the country.

Also speaking at the occasion, Hon. Idris Wase, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Federal Character Commission, charged the Commission to always ensure that the country is at peace with the way they discharge their responsibilities.

Wase expressed his satisfaction with the person of Hon. Omidiran, whom he recalled showed her leadership qualities when she served as a member of the House of Representatives.

He advised the members to use their position to touch lives and work towards the unification of the country.