The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila has come out to say that there is a need to review the definition of federal character in the Nigerian constitution.

He recently revealed that our current federal character is limiting national opportunities to geographical location alone without consideration for gender, persons living with disabilities, and age classification.

According to him, there is a need for a geographical spread because the character of a Nation is not just based on your tribe, it’s based on Religion, where you are from, on your sex, and on your age.

He added that Nigeria really needs the true meaning of Federal character to reflect in the constitution and steps must be underway to make it happen.

His words, “In thinking outside the box, I think we should consider an amendment in the constitution to the definition of federal character because when we talk about Federal Character within the context of appointments, infrastructure and the rest of it in the constitution, Federal Character as it is, is limited to where you are from, like your ethnicity.

“In other words, the constitution says that appointment and all those other things shall be based on Federal Character and Federal Character as we know it now, we have the Igbos, we have the Hausas, the Yorubas. There should be a Geographical Spread.

“I think it’s time that we expand the definition of Federal Character because the character of a Nation is not just based on your tribe, it’s based on Religion, it’s based on where you are from, it’s based on your sex, it’s based on your age.”

“So when you are talking about Federal Character you look at all those things and they are what make up the Federal Character.

“You talk about so so percentage of women, so so percentage of youth, that is the true meaning of Federal character and I think that is what should be reflected in the constitution”.