President Tinubu swears in new FCC chairman, 37 commissioners in Abuja

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday swore in the new Chairman and Commissioners of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) at the State House in Abuja.

The swearing-in ceremony, which took place at about 4:48 p.m., saw Hulayat Omidiran officially take the oath of office as Chairman of the commission, alongside 37 commissioners representing the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

Omidiran, 59, succeeds Dr Muheeba Dankaka, whose tenure, according to the Presidency, was marked by controversies.

A former two-term member of the House of Representatives, Omidiran represented Ayedaade/Irewole/Isokan Federal Constituency of Osun State between 2011 and 2019. She was born in Ikire, Osun State, and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

Beyond legislative work, she has built a career in sports administration. She previously served as Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Sports and held several roles within football administration, including membership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) board, Chairperson of the NFF Women’s Football Committee, membership of FIFA’s Women’s Football Committee, and a position on the Board of Trustees of the Nigeria Olympic Committee.

Omidiran is also the founder of Omidiran Babes Football Club, a women’s football team based in Osogbo, established in 1997.

President Tinubu appointed her on August 11, 2025, after initially announcing the reappointment of Dankaka earlier that same day. Her nomination was later confirmed by the Senate on November 27, 2025, following security screening and her appearance before the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs on October 30.

Mohammed Musa was also sworn in as Secretary of the commission.

Those inaugurated as commissioners 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, established under Act No. 34 of 1996 and backed by Sections 14 and 153 of the 1999 Constitution, is responsible for ensuring fairness and balance in public appointments and the distribution of socio-economic infrastructure across the country.

It is empowered to issue guidelines for recruitment into public institutions, security agencies and government parastatals, and to sanction defaulting agencies that violate the federal character principle.

The swearing-in ceremony was attended by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake; and other senior government officials.