By Kunle Sanni –
President Bola Tinubu has administered the oath of office to the newly appointed chairman and commissioners of the Federal Character Commission at the State House, 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, succeeds Dr Muheeba Dankaka, whose tenure the Presidency described as “dogged by controversy.”
The Ikire, Osun State-born politician 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 and 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. President Tinubu appointed her 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 her successful completion of statutory vetting processes, including security screening and an appearance before the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Intergovernmental Affairs on October 30.
The commissioners sworn in include Peter Eze (Enugu), Abdul Wasiu 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).
