Which constitution established the Public Service Commission?

Analyze the question: It asks which constitution first established the Public Service Commission in Nigeria. This is a question on the history of Nigeria's constitutional development and the civil service.

Explain the concept: The Public Service Commission (PSC) is the body responsible for appointing, promoting, disciplining and dismissing civil servants, so that public service appointments are free from political interference.

Working through the history:

• The idea of a Public Service Commission goes back to the colonial period. The 1954 Lyttelton Constitution (federal) and the regional arrangements that followed created Public Service Commissions for the Federation and the Regions.
• The 1960 Independence Constitution and the 1963 Republican Constitution kept these commissions, with the 1963 constitution providing for the Public Service Commission of the Federation (and for each Region).
• The 1979 Constitution created the Federal Civil Service Commission (renamed from the PSC) and also established the Federal Character Commission.
• The 1999 Constitution continues with the Federal Civil Service Commission.
• The 1989 Constitution was never fully implemented in practice.

Where my working lands: Strictly speaking, the PSC dates back to the colonial constitutions of the 1950s, and that point is not among the options. Of the options given, the 1963 Constitution is the one that clearly provided for a Public Service Commission by that name. The 1979 and 1999 constitutions refer to the Civil Service Commission rather than the Public Service Commission.

Tip: Remember the name change: 1963 = Public Service Commission, 1979 onwards = Federal Civil Service Commission. In exams, when the question uses the exact name "Public Service Commission", go for the earlier constitution of the options listed.