Senate probes Chairman of Federal Character over abuse of office, fraud

Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-governmental Affairs on Tuesday embarked on investigation of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Character Commission, Muheeba Dankaka, over alleged abuse of office and fraud.

It was gathered that 20 Commissioners of the FCC had accused the Chairman of the Commission of abuse of office and fraud in a petition written to the Senate Committee.

She was appointed in April last year by President Muhammadu Buhari.

At the resumption of the investigative hearing,  the Chairman of the Committee,  Senator Danjuma La’ah asked the Chairman of the Commission to defend the allegations raised against her by the Commissioners.

But, the Chairman told the lawmakers  that she was not prepared for investigative hearing as the letter was just being delivered to her moments earlier.

She said, “I got the invitation letter this morning and I am not supposed to be the only one in this place.

“As far as I am concerned, we have 37 Commissioners in the Commission,  I have over 30 of the Commissioners with me,  but about five of them, because of their selfish interest, decided to go from one place to another.”

As the tension began to rise during the Committee meeting, the Chairman of the Committee called for a closed door meeting which lasted for one hour.

Addressing the newsmen at the end of the closed door session,  the Chairman of the Committee said that the investigation on the matter was still ongoing  and that the Committee was trying to get to the root of the matter.

He said that the Commissioners who petitioned the Committee were expected to appear before the lawmakers by next week Wednesday.

The petition written against the Chairman read in part: ‘Misrepresentation  and Misapplication  of section 2(1) of the establishment  Act as well as unwholesome arrogation of power to self by the Chairman,  thereby alienating  the Commissioners,  plenary,  and Commission  from the activities  and operation/ administration of the commission.

“Secretly holding of official interactive sessions and official meetings with heads of MDAs privately  without  the involvement of relevant operational committee;  issuance of waivers and certificate of compliance without  the knowledge and approval of plenary as provided by the establishment Act.

“Restriction of commissioners’ access to MDA files,  even where they managed to have access,  vital documents are surreptitiously  removed and file numbering tampered.

“Failure to render account of financial transactions of the Commission to the plenary. No report of the income and expenditure to the plenary session provided by extant rules.

“Abuse of Commission’s annual budget.”