House Committee orders immediate recruitment freeze, threatens constitutional action against Zacch Adedeji
The House of Representatives Committee on Federal Character has had enough.
In a fiery session in Abuja, the committee ordered the immediate suspension of all Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) recruitment and warned its Executive Chairman, Zacch Adedeji, that he’s running out of excuses.
The charge: Adedeji has ignored at least seven invitations from the committee since October 2023, blowing off a July 22 meeting despite a formal summons. His latest no-show? The final straw.
“We will not tolerate public institutions choosing which constitutional directives to obey,” thundered Committee Chairman Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase, citing Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution—which empower the National Assembly to compel attendance, seize documents, and issue warrants.
Also in the crosshairs: FCC Chairman Hon. Hulayat Motunrayo Omidiran, who skipped Wednesday’s meeting citing illness and travel a pattern the committee labelled “unacceptable.”
The bigger picture:
· Alleged recruitment irregularities at NRS
· Waivers granted by the FCC despite a House ban
· A Daily Trust report (Jan 30, 2026) claiming five of six Executive Director appointments breached Section 17(1) of the NRS Act—with multiple appointees from the same geopolitical zone
· A pending Abuja High Court suit challenging the appointments
Wase’s warning was stark: “The National Assembly is the voice of the Nigerian people. No agency, commission or public official is above the Constitution.”
The recruitment freeze stands until both agency heads appear and comply.
Adedeji—the clock is ticking.
