ASSESSMENT OF THE APPLICATION OF FEDERAL CHARACTER PRINCIPLE ON STAFF APPOINTMENT IN FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC NASARAWA (2004 – 2014)

The general objective of this study is to examine the application of federal character principle on staff appointment in Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa. The problem of in balance in Nigeria has become a born of contention among scholars and practitioners and which create problem between states and ethnic groups in relation to appointment, into the public service and output – efficiency, to achieve this objective, descriptive research work was used in other to get the solution for the problem posed to the study. Sources of data were the primary and secondary source, the primary source consisted of questionnaire and interview, and secondary data were gathered from books, conference papers, unpublished research projects, journals, magazines and newspapers. Simple random sampling was adopted in choosing the respondents; simple percentage method was adopted in analyzing and interpreting the information from the questionnaires. The findings of the study shows that the application of federal character principle on staff appointment in Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa tends to favor the relatives of the people in authority and the host community. It is full of bias and it does not encourage brains in the service. Thus, the study recommends that, there should be total compliance to the principle of Quota system that is based on merit. Qualified candidates should be given appointment into the public service, regardless of their parents and status in the society.