Federal Character Principle and the Politics of Recruitment into the Nigerian Civil Service. A Case Study of National Drugs Enforcement Agencies (NDLEA) and the Nigerian Police Service Commission’s Lopsided Recruitment 2019: Implication for Nation Building

This work examines politics behind the implementation of the Federal Character Principle and the appointment into the National Drugs Enforcement Agencies (NDLEA) with a view to discussing the implications for National Unity of Nigeria. Every policy of government is expected to display high sense of indices of acceptable governance such as: transparency, accountability, responsiveness, efficiency and effectiveness, popular participation, service delivery and so on. Paradoxically, the reverse has always been the case with Federal Character Principle. The impacts of this have indeed pervaded the political landscape of Nigeria as majority of school leavers are found roaming the streets in search of employment. Verily, every Nigerian is adversely affected by Nigerian factors which are predicated on corruption, greed, selfishness among others. As a corollary, the much expected dividends of democracy is nothing but a ruse. The work relies on both primary and secondary sources of information. The data sources were complemented with the administration of questionnaires and oral interview with relevant stakeholders and members of the public to elicit more information about the performance of both the Federal Character Principle and NDLEA. Data were also sourced from the internet, governmental organizations and other related agencies with the objective of assessment and comparison. The study raises critical question about the desirability of NDLEA and how it would , as a matter of concern ensure corruption free society via its job creation through Federal Character Principle as far as Nigerian political system is concerned. It noted that the aims of establishing the Federal Character Principle and NDLEA have not been fully realized rather. The study therefore concludes that for the attainment of good governance, societal development, corruption free society and putting in the round peg in round hole, emphasis should be placed on how both the Commissions operate and to actualize these, there must be conscious efforts on the part of the government to ensure that credible people are employed to work in those Commissions in order to engender promotion of accountability, transparency and probity. This will serve as model for others to be on their toes so as to institute good governance in the land.