THE Chairperson of the Federal Character agency (FCC), Muheeba Dankaka, has stated that before she took office, the agency was like a marketplace for selling job spots, and that her attempt to stop the alleged corruption pitted her against some commissioners.
Dankaka made the disclosure last week while testifying before the House Ad-hoc Committee probing alleged employment racketeering and abuse of the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
After she failed to appear on Tuesday, the House directed the chairman and all 36 commissioners of the commission to appear on Wednesday.
Some of the commissioners identified as ‘Integrity Group’ accused the chairperson who came with some of the commissioners of alleged job racketeering and exploitation of existing laws and the FCC establishing Act.
Speaking before the committee, the commissioner representing Osun State in the commission, Abdulrazak Adewuyi, and his counterpart representing Rivers State, Okwacha Augustine, both claimed that the chairperson was running the commission in violation of Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Section 2 of the FCC Act, and other existing laws.
Dankaka, on the other hand, refuted the claims and accused the ‘Integrity Group’ commissioners of mischief and blackmail.
She said that the commissioners who made the claims were on her tail because she refused to compromise.
Dankaka stated in a viral video of the panel discussion that her decision to halt the auction of employment slots at the commission upon her appointment did not sit well with some of the commissioners.
She said, “Before I came here, I have made my name. I have made my money. Let me tell you a small story. Some of them (commissioners) have reasons why they are attacking me. When I first came in, most of them were my close people. All of them were always in my office, but what they wanted me to do I told them I cannot do it.
“I am a very quiet person and I keep certain secrets as executive chairman. I have to swallow certain things and leave everything in the hands of God. Before I came to this place, they were selling (job) slots. The place was like a market. And you can find out from the people living in Abuja if I am lying.
“When I came in, I met all the commissioners and told them I don’t want anything that will destroy me and my family. All of them can bear me witness.”
The chairperson alleged that a commissioner bought a landed property and promised the seller to pay for it with job slots, but she thwarted the plan.
The Chairman of the committee, Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, consequently directed that the chairperson should submit her response to the allegations in writing as well as submit all documents required for the investigation and submit today.
He added that the chairperson should appear with all the 36 commissioners on Monday for the resumed investigative hearing.
