Tinubu Swears In FCC Chairman, 37 Commissioners

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday administered the oath of office to the newly appointed Chairman and Commissioners of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) at the State House, Abuja.

The new FCC Chairman, Ayo Hulayat Omidiran, was sworn in alongside 37 commissioners representing Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) at about 4:48 p.m. local time.

Omidiran, 59, a former two-term member of the House of Representatives who represented the Ayedaade/Irewole/Isokan Federal Constituency of Osun State between 2011 and 2019, succeeds Muheeba Dankaka, whose tenure the Presidency described as being “dogged by controversy.”

An indigene of Ikire, Osun State, Omidiran holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and brings extensive experience in legislative work and sports administration to the position.

During her time in the National Assembly, she served as Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Sports.

Her profile in sports administration includes membership of the Board of the Nigeria Football Federation, Chairperson of the NFF Women’s Football Committee, membership of the FIFA Women’s Football Committee, and service on the Board of Trustees of the Nigeria Olympic Committee.

She is also the founder of Omidiran Babes Football Club, a female football club based in Osogbo, Osun State, which she established in 1997.

President Tinubu appointed Omidiran on August 11, 2025, in a dramatic reversal after initially announcing the reappointment of Dankaka for a second five-year term earlier the same day.

The Senate confirmed her appointment on November 27, 2025, following the completion of statutory vetting processes, including security screening and an appearance before the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs on October 30.

Also sworn in was Mohammed Musa, who was appointed Secretary of the Commission.

Commissioners
The commissioners sworn in include Peter Eze (Enugu), Abdulwasiu Kayode Bawalla (Lagos), Obinna Oriaku (Abia), Lawal Ya’u Roni (Jigawa), Abubakar Atiku Bunu (Kebbi), Eludayo Eluyemi (Osun), Bema Olvadi Madayi (Adamawa), Dora Ebong (Akwa Ibom), Nnoli Nkechi Gloria (Anambra), and Babangida Adamu Gwana (Bauchi).
Others are Sir Tonye Okio (Bayelsa), Aligba Eugene Tarkende (Benue), Modu Mustapha (Borno), Dr. Stella Odey Ekpo (Cross River), Ederin Lovette Idisi (Delta), Nwokpor Vincent Nduka (Ebonyi), Victor Sabor Edoror (Edo), Sola Fokanle (Ekiti), Ibrahim Baba Mairiga (Gombe), Jerry Alagbaoso (Imo), Ruth Jumai Ango (Kaduna), Muhammad Awwal Nayya (Kano), Anas Isah (Katsina), Bello Idris Eneye (Kogi), Dr. Ibrahim Abdullahi (Kwara), Kayode Oladele (Ogun), Isah Jibrin (Niger), Ajimudu Bola (Ondo), Prince Ayodeji Abas Aleshinloye (Oyo), Pam Bolman (Plateau), Aaron Chukwuemeka (Rivers), Aminu Tambar (Sokoto), Bobboi Bala Kaigama (Taraba), Jibir Maigari (Yobe), Sani Garba (Zamfara), and Solomon Ayuba Dagami (FCT).

The Federal Character Commission was established by Act No. 34 of 1996 and is entrenched in Sections 14 and 153 of the 1999 Constitution. It is charged with ensuring the fair and equitable distribution of public offices and socio-economic infrastructure among Nigeria’s federating units.

The Commission is mandated to develop equitable formulas for appointments into the civil and public services, the armed forces, the police, and other security agencies, as well as government-owned bodies and parastatals.

It also has the power to prosecute the heads of ministries, departments, and agencies that fail to comply with the federal character principle.

Following the swearing-in ceremony, President Tinubu exchanged handshakes with the Chairperson and commissioners.

The brief event was attended by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake; the Permanent Secretary of the State House, Temitope Fashedemi; and the Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Affairs Office, John Ezeamama.

SOURCE: THEGUARDIAN