RismadarVoice Reporters
January 22, 2026
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday swore in the Chairman and Commissioners of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) at the State House, Abuja, marking the formal commencement of a new leadership for the constitutional body.
The new Chairman of the Commission, Hulayat Omidiran, took the oath of office alongside 37 commissioners representing the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory at about 4:48p.m.
Omidiran, 59, a former two-term member of the House of Representatives who represented Ayedaade/Irewole/Isokan Federal Constituency of Osun State between 2011 and 2019, succeeds Dr. Muheeba Dankaka, whose tenure the Presidency described as “dogged by controversy.”
An indigene of Ikire in Osun State, Omidiran holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and brings to the position a blend of legislative experience and sports administration expertise. During her time in the National Assembly, she served as Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Sports.
She has also held several prominent roles in sports administration, including membership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Board, 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 team established in Osogbo, Osun State, in 1997.
President Tinubu appointed Omidiran on August 11, 2025, after earlier announcing the reappointment of Dankaka for a second term on the same day.
The Senate subsequently confirmed her appointment on November 27, 2025, following statutory vetting procedures, including security screening and her appearance before the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs on October 30, 2025.
Also sworn in was Mohammed Musa, who was appointed as Secretary of the Commission.
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), Babangida Gwana (Bauchi), 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).
Established by Act No. 34 of 1996 and enshrined in Sections 14 and 153 of the 1999 Constitution, the Federal Character Commission is mandated to promote equity and inclusiveness in the distribution of public posts and socio-economic infrastructure across Nigeria’s federating units.
The Commission is empowered to set guidelines for appointments into the civil and public service, security agencies and government parastatals, and to sanction defaulting institutions that violate the federal character principle.
