Since taking charge as Chief Commissioner of the Public Complaints Commission (PCC), Hon. Bashir Abubakar, MFR, has pushed a reform agenda built around one central promise: that no Nigerian should be denied justice because government machinery failed them.
That promise now has a concrete backing. Abubakar recently announced full implementation of the Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure (CONLESS) for Commission staff, ending years of half-salary payments effective from July 2026.
He credits the breakthrough to sustained lobbying with the Presidency, the National Assembly, the Budget Office, and the Federal Ministry of Finance — engagements that also secured a boosted Medium-Term Expenditure Framework allocation and a fresh intervention fund for the institution.
Rebuilding an institution's reach
Beyond the salary win, Abubakar's tenure has focused on making the PCC visible and functional again. Public enlightenment campaigns have been revived across all 36 states and the FCT, driving a noticeable uptick in complaints filed — and resolved.
A modern case-tracking system has replaced older, opaque processes, cutting down backlogs, while several zonal and state offices have undergone renovation.
Staff welfare and training have also featured prominently, part of what Abubakar describes as repositioning the Commission for stronger performance. He has leaned on partnerships with government MDAs, civil society groups, and the media to speed up resolution of complaints involving maladministration, abuse of office, and rights violations, with alternative dispute resolution increasingly used to settle long-standing citizen-government disputes amicably.
In return, Abubakar is asking staff to match the government's renewed investment with professionalism and integrity, while pledging to keep addressing outstanding entitlements as more funding comes through.
A career built on integrity
Abubakar's reputation for straight dealing predates the PCC. As a former Assistant Controller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, he turned down a $412,000 bribe from drug traffickers — a stand that earned him the ICPC/OSGF Integrity Award in 2019. That same year brought NAFDAC and World Customs Organization merit awards, following an earlier Controller General's Award for Best Revenue Recovery in 2004.
In September 2022, President Muhammadu Buhari conferred on him the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR).
His contributions have also been recognized locally: the Emir of Zazzau honoured him with the traditional title Barden Kudun Zazzau, and a school in Kaduna State now bears his name. Numerous labour unions, student bodies, and media organizations have added their own commendations over the years.
Supporters describe him as the first Chief Commissioner to genuinely transform the PCC — an institution Abubakar himself insists must live up to its billing as the "Defender of the People's Rights."
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