The Federal Character Commission (FCC) has assured that no region, state or community will be excluded from the opportunities in the nation’s vital sector of oil and gas.

The acting executive chairman of FCC, Kayode Oladele, gave the assurance on Wednesday in Abuja during a capacity building workshop for the directors in the commission.

The workshop was themed, ‘Understanding the Federal Character Principle:Constitutional Basis and Implications for Resource-Rich Sectors”

It was organised by FCC in collaboration with Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) and Dreams International.

Speaking at the event, Mr Oladele said the Federal Character Principle remains one of the pillars of Nigeria’s federal system designed to guarantee fairness, equity, inclusiveness, and balanced development across all parts of the country.

He said the commission is consciously implementing the principle in oil and gas because the sector is central to the nation’s economy.

He added that the strategic distribution of opportunities within the industry like employment, promotions, postings, training, scholarships, and other benefits have far-reaching implications for national unity, public trust, and the legitimacy of the Nigerian state.

“The tremendous national resources controlled by the oil and gas industry make fairness in recruitment and career progression essential to preventing perceptions of domination or exclusion.

“Equitable representation woud promote national unity by assuring all Nigerians that they have a rightful stake in a sector that belongs to the entire federation,” he said.

Mr Oladele added: “In a sector often associated with tensions and grievances, equitable representation helps prevent conflict and strengthens national cohesion.

“Compliance with the federal character principle enhances institutional self-credibility, builds public trust, and demonstrates that national institutions can function with fairness and integrity.

“Equitable representation supports balanced development by ensuring that opportunities translate into social and economic benefits across the states and geopolitical zones,” he said.

The acting executive chairman said the commission’s position supported the President Bola Tinubu’s vision of a fairer and more equitable Nigeria.

He stressed that, under the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr Tinubu, ‘fairness and inclusiveness are not operational ideas but national commitments”.

Mr Oladele said the workshop was apt in strengthening the statutory and policy competencies of the commission’s directors, for effective implementation of the Federal Character Principle in the nation’s oil and gas sector.

“To discharge this mandate successfully, we must continuously update our knowledge, expand our competencies, and align ourselves with the evolving statutory and policy frameworks that shape public governance today.

“This training, therefore, comes at a critical moment not only to deepen our understanding of the legal instruments that guide our work, but also to reinforce our alignment with the President’s broader vision of fairness, justice, institutional renewal, and national cohesion.” he said

Mr Oladele, therefore, commended PTDF for the partnership adding that it reflected the Fund’s unwavering commitment to human capital development and its alignment with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

In his remarks, the executive secretary of PTDF, Ahmed Galadima, said the theme of the workshop reinforced the need to deepen the knowledge of Nigerians as it related to ensuring fairness and equity in the distribution of public positions and resources across the nation.

Mr Galadima, represented by Mohammad Abddulrahman, deputy general manager, admin and human resources, said PTDF places high value on fairness, inclusion, and transparency in the execution of its mandate.

“We are pleased to collaborate with the Federal Character Commission to further enhance the capacity of the Commission, Nigerian, and the PTDF in federal character principle.

“This partnership strengthens the mission of the commission and reinforces our shared commitment to ensuring equity and excellence in services we deliver to the nation.”

Also speaking, the lead consultant, Dreams International Ltd, Love Idoko-Uloko, said the workshop re-examined one of the most important constitutional mechanisms for fostering fairness and balance in the federal system.

Ms Idoko-Uloko said her organisation is proud to support FCC and PTDF in the vital national discourse to promote fairness, transparency, and sustainable development.

(NAN)