Osita Chidoka: Federal character shouldn’t be at the expense of merit

Osita Chidoka, former minister of aviation, says Nigeria should not pursue federal character and quota system at the expense of merit. 

Speaking at an event organised by Nextier and Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) in Abuja, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain said it is “corruption” for someone to occupy an office in government on the basis of federal character and not on merit.

“It is an aberration that we have introduced in Nigeria, someone that score 15 percent is entering into a place where people are scoring 95 percent. It is the worst of all crime, it is biggest corruption that is in Nigeria and what can destroy the Nigeria Public Service,” he said.

Chidoka blamed the slow reform of Nigeria’s civil service on federal character, adding that civil servants “throw out” reforms when the politician supervising them leaves office.

He said civil servants should be recruited based on merit since they outlive ministers in service.

According to him, ministers need to work with civil servants because they understand the service better.

“Civil Servants live in eternity, they have the patience to wait for the tenure of politicians to expire and get back to doing whatever they want and throw out whatever reform,” he said.

Catherine Angai, programme coordinator of OSIWA, said the bureaucracy in government retards the process of public service.

“It is a systems problem. The system is not working as effectively or efficiently as it should, the system is failing,” she said.

“This has a direct impact on one of the fundamental obligations of government — the delivery of public goods. What again is the benefit of democracy if there is no good governance?”

According to her, OSIWA strategy document, showed that “poor governance is exacerbated by rapid urbanisation and population explosion, these factors are not waiting for the system to catch up”.

“Poor governance according to our context analysis is the root cause of extractive and abusive political, social and economic systems which in turn frustrates key areas OSIWA is particularly interested in justice sector reforms, inclusive economic growth, citizens access to basic public services, such as health and education,” she said.

“Indeed, poor governance compromises democratic institutions and creates the conditions that are conducive for insecurity and fragility.”