By Nkechi Eze
The Nigerian Senate has applauded the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for its outstanding compliance with the Federal Character principle in its staffing and appointments. The commendation came during an appearance by the ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, and his management team before the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs on Wednesday, July 2, 2025.
The Commission’s spokesperson, Demola Bakare, in an official statement, disclosed that the ICPC team presented the agency’s staff profile and deployment statistics to the lawmakers during the session at the National Assembly in Abuja.
Chairman of the Senate Committee, Senator Allwell Onyesoh, who led the session, expressed satisfaction with the Commission’s transparent and inclusive human resource practices. He praised the ICPC for demonstrating a clear commitment to fairness, equity, and national representation, urging other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to adopt the Commission’s model.
“ICPC has shown that due process is not only possible but also achievable,” Senator Onyesoh said. “What you have presented today gives us hope that we still have institutions and individuals committed to building a better Nigeria. You have honoured this institution by being open and transparent about how you conduct appointments and elevate officers to high positions.”
He lamented that many MDAs avoid appearing before the Committee due to poor transparency and non-compliance with the Federal Character principle. He described the ICPC’s presentation as “truly worthy of emulation,” stating that agencies with compliance issues would henceforth be referred to the Commission as an example of best practice.
Other members of the Committee echoed the commendation, describing the ICPC’s staff distribution as balanced and inclusive. They noted that the Commission’s nominal roll and equitable manpower spread across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones set a standard for government institutions.
Presenting the Commission’s staff data, Dr. Aliyu revealed that the ICPC currently has 1,163 staff members, with zonal distribution as follows: North Central – 19%, North West – 19%, North East – 16%, South South – 16%, South West – 16%, and South East – 14%. He also noted that the Commission has ten directors across various departments, with nine of them substantive and one serving in an acting capacity, equitably spread across the zones.
“The Commission, as Nigeria’s leading anti-graft agency, is proud to be practicing what it preaches,” Dr. Aliyu said. “We are fully committed to upholding all extant rules and regulations, including the Federal Character Balancing Index, and we have been repeatedly commended by the Federal Character Commission for our consistent compliance.”
He reiterated the ICPC’s commitment to promoting equity, inclusiveness, and good governance, values that he said are central to the Commission’s mandate and operations.
