By Cross Udo, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, administered the oath of office to the newly appointed Chairman and Commissioners of the Federal Character Commission at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The new FCC Chairman, Hulayat Omidiran, took the oath of office alongside 37 commissioners representing the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory at about 4:48 pm local time.
Omidiran, 59, a former two-term member of the House of Representatives who represented Ayedaade/Irewole/Isokan Federal Constituency of Osun State from 2011 to 2019, succeeded Dr Muheeba Dankaka, whose tenure the Presidency described as “dogged by controversy.”
Omidiran holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and has extensive experience in both legislative and sports administration.
She previously served as Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Sports.
She held positions including board membership 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.
Omidiran is also the founder of Omidiran Babes Football Club, a female football club based in Osogbo, Osun State, which she established in 1997.
Tinubu appointed her on August 11, 2025, in a dramatic reversal after initially announcing Dankaka’s reappointment for a second five-year term earlier that day.
The Senate confirmed her appointment on November 27, 2025, following her successful 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.
Mohammed Musa was also appointed as the Commission’s Secretary.
The commissioners sworn in include Peter Eze (Enugu), AbdulWasiu Bawalla (Lagos), Obinna Oriaku (Abia), Lawal Roni (Jigawa), Abubakar Bunu (Kebbi), Eludayo Eluyemi (Osun), Bema Madayi (Adamawa), Dora Ebong (Akwa-Ibom), Nnoli Gloria (Anambra), and Babangida Gwana (Bauchi).
Others are Sir Tonye Okio (Bayelsa), Aligba Tarkende (Benue), Modu Mustapha (Borno), Dr. Stella Ekpo (Cross River), Ederin Idisi (Delta), Nwokpor Vincent Nduka (Ebonyi), Victor Sabor Edoror (Edo), Sola Fokanle (Ekiti), Ibrahim Baba Mairiga (Gombe), Jerry Alagbaoso (Imo), Ruth 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 Kaigama (Taraba), Jibir Maigari (Yobe), Sani Garba (Zamfara), and Solomon Dagami (FCT).
The Federal Character Commission was established by Act No. 34 of 1996 and is enshrined in Sections 14 and 153 of the 1999 Constitution. The body is charged with ensuring fair distribution of public posts and socio-economic infrastructure among Nigeria’s federating units.
It is mandated to work out an equitable formula for the distribution of posts in the civil and public services, the armed forces, the police, other security agencies, and government-owned bodies and parastatals.
The Commission also has the power to prosecute heads of any ministry or government agency that fails to comply with the federal character principle.
Present at the brief ceremony were the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake; the Permanent Secretary of the State House, Mr Temitope Fashedemi; and the Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Affairs Office, Dr John Ezeamama.
