President Bola Tinubu on Thursday administered the oath of office to the 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 the new FCC Chairman, Hulayat Omidiran, take her oath alongside 37 commissioners representing the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
Omidiran, 59, replaces Dr. Muheeba Dankaka, whose tenure the Presidency described as having been marked by controversy. A former two-term member of the House of Representatives, Omidiran represented Ayedaade/Irewole/Isokan Federal Constituency of Osun State between 2011 and 2019.
The Ikire-born politician holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and brings experience spanning legislative duties and sports administration.
During her time in the National Assembly, she served as Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Sports and also held several roles in sports governance, including board membership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Chairperson of the NFF Women’s Football Committee, membership of the FIFA Women’s Football Committee and participation on the Board of Trustees of the Nigeria Olympic Committee.
She is also the founder of Omidiran Babes Football Club, a women’s football team based in Osogbo, Osun State, which was established in 1997.
President Tinubu appointed Omidiran on August 11, 2025, after initially announcing the reappointment of Dankaka earlier that same day. Her nomination was subsequently 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.
Commissioners inaugurated 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 charged with promoting equitable representation in public appointments and the distribution of socio-economic infrastructure across Nigeria. The commission is also empowered to set guidelines for appointments into public institutions and to sanction agencies that violate the federal character principle.
The 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.
