President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday formally inaugurated the newly appointed leadership of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), swearing in Mrs. Ayo Hulayat Omidiran as the Executive Chairman alongside 38 commissioners representing the 36 states and the FCT.
Among the high-profile appointees sworn in during the ceremony at the State House was Dr. Ibrahim Abdullahi, who will represent Kwara State on the commission’s board.
During the brief but significant ceremony, President Tinubu charged the new members to discharge their duties with a high sense of national responsibility. He emphasized that the FCC remains a vital institution for maintaining the country’s unity through the equitable distribution of positions and resources.
“Nigerians expect you to live up to the highest standards of integrity. Your role is central to our commitment to fairness and ensuring that no part of this country feels marginalized,” the President stated.
The inauguration follows the Senate’s confirmation of the nominees on November 27, 2025, after a rigorous screening process led by the Senate Committee on Federal Character.
The new Chairman, Mrs. Omidiran, an indigene of Osun State, takes the helm at a time when the commission is under pressure to modernize its operations.
Accompanying her is a team of technocrats and seasoned administrators, including Peter Ogbonna Eze, an economist and public administrator representing Enugu State.
Senator Onyesoh Onyesoh, Chairman of the Senate Committee that screened the nominees, remarked that the board was carefully selected based on expertise and character.
“The nominees demonstrated a strong understanding of the FCC’s mandate. Their appointments will strengthen the Commission’s ability to review outdated statutes and harmonise them with current realities,” Senator Onyesoh noted.
The newly inaugurated commissioners reflect the diversity of the Nigerian state. In addition to Dr. Ibrahim Abdullahi (Kwara), others sworn in include; North Central: Aligba Eugene Tarkende (Benue), Isah Jibrin (Niger), Pam Bolman (Plateau), and Solomon Ayuba Dagami (FCT),South West: Eludayo Eluyemi (Osun), Abdulwasiu Kayode Bawalla (Lagos), Sola Fokanle (Ekiti), Comrade Ajimudu Bola (Ondo), and Prince Ayodeji Aleshinloye (Oyo), South East: Obinna Oriaku (Abia), Nnoli Nkechi Gloria (Anambra), Nwokpor Vincent Nduka (Ebonyi), and Jerry Alagbaoso (Imo), South South: Dora Ebong (Akwa Ibom), Tonye Okio (Bayelsa), Dr. Stella Odey Ekpo (Cross River), Ederin Lovette Idisi (Delta), Victor Sabor Edoror (Edo), and Aaron Chukwuemeka (Rivers), Northern Regions: Lawal Ya’u Roni (Jigawa), Abubakar Atiku Bunu (Kebbi), Babangida Adamu Gwana (Bauchi), Modu Mustapha (Borno), Ibrahim Baba Mairiga (Gombe), Ruth Jumai Ango (Kaduna), Muhammad Awwal Nayya (Kano), Anas Isah (Katsina), Bello Idris Eneye (Kogi), Aminu Tambar (Sokoto), Bobboi Bala Kaigama (Taraba), Jibir Maigari (Yobe), and Sani Garba (Zamfara).
9japarrot reports that with the board now fully operational, stakeholders are optimistic about long-awaited institutional reforms. The inclusion of diverse professionals like Dr. Abdullahi representing Kwara is expected to enhance the FCC’s oversight functions, ensuring that federal appointments and infrastructure projects are distributed in accordance with the principles of the Federal Character.