Former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara’s Corruption Allegations Rock Federal Character Commission
Nigeria – A former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara, has called for the immediate removal of the Chairman of the Federal Character Commission, Muheeba Dankaka, following allegations of corruption and job racketeering at the commission.
Adolphus Wabara, who is currently the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, made the demand in an exclusive interview with Saturday PUNCH, revealing that he personally visited the FCC to seek job placements for individuals in his constituency. However, he was informed that jobs were not available 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 is not the first time such allegations have surfaced against the FCC. In a previous investigation, 14 witnesses testified about paying money to a former Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System desk officer at the FCC, Haruna Kolo, for job placements. Kolo admitted to collecting money from job seekers and claimed to have handed it over to Dankaka.
Despite these allegations, the APC-led government and the National Assembly have been accused of ignoring the matter. The House of Representatives Committee investigating the allegations, led by Yusuf Gagdi, has yet to release its findings one year after the investigation began.
A source within the House of Representatives revealed that substantial evidence was collected but went unaddressed due to the influence of those implicated. Wabara criticized the government and National Assembly for failing to take swift action against Dankaka, accusing them of ignoring corruption allegations.
Meanwhile, an APC chieftain and former minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, has demanded a thorough investigation into the allegations. Shittu revealed that he had spoken with an FCC member who confirmed the claims of job racketeering and emphasized the need for accountability.
“It is not about our party, the APC, but about doing the right thing. People have accused this woman, and it is only through public investigation that we can certify that she was indeed a victim of job racketeering. We must ensure that there are no selective investigations into corruption,” Shittu said.
The call for a thorough investigation has been met with skepticism, with many questioning whether anything will be done to address the allegations. The situation has raised concerns about public confidence in the commission and calls for urgent action to address the issues within the FCC.
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