A group operating under the banner of NICIP, led by Comrade IG Wala, has submitted a formal petition to the leadership of the National Assembly, raising concerns over what it described as persistent violations of the Federal Character principle and the growing concentration of state power along ethnic lines.
The petition, dated January 12, 2026, was addressed to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. It cited Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution and the Federal Character Commission Act, warning that Nigeria’s regional balance and democratic stability are under serious threat.
In the document, the petitioners alleged what they called an “ethnic capture” of key federal institutions, accusing the current administration of allowing an unusual concentration of executive, legal and economic authority within one ethnic bloc, particularly the South-West.
They expressed concern over the leadership structure of the justice system, pointing to what they described as a legal and prosecutorial imbalance. According to the petition, the offices of the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Directorate of Public Prosecutions and the Federal Character Commission are currently headed by individuals from the same ethnic background, a situation they say undermines the spirit of inclusiveness envisaged by law.
The petitioners also raised alarm over security and intelligence agencies, claiming that the leadership of the EFCC, the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force reflects a similar regional concentration. They argued that such a setup weakens checks and balances and could expose law enforcement agencies to political manipulation.
On the economic front, the group alleged that key financial institutions, including the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Ministry of Finance and the Federal Inland Revenue Service, are dominated by officials from one region, a trend they say marginalises other parts of the country.
The petition warned that continued imbalance could lead to selective prosecution, institutional distrust and national fragmentation. It referenced past experiences in other African countries where perceived exclusion and lack of neutrality in state institutions fueled unrest and instability.
As part of its demands, the group urged the National Assembly to conduct an immediate federal character audit of top-level appointments made between 2023 and 2026. It also called for strict enforcement of regional balance in leadership positions within key commissions, decentralisation of prosecutorial authority, and a formal advisory to the executive to avoid appointing heads of major security agencies from the same region.
The petition concluded with a warning that growing public frustration over perceived exclusion could escalate if urgent steps are not taken, stressing that democracy cannot thrive where fairness and inclusion are absent.
Copies of the petition were also forwarded to international and regional bodies, including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the African Union Commission, the Commonwealth Secretariat and Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission.
