ABUJA, Nigeria — President Bola Tinubu on Monday, August 11, 2025, reappointed Muheeba Dankaka as chairperson of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) — then replaced her with former lawmaker Ayo Hulayat Omidiran less than four hours later, in a move that has drawn fresh criticism over the administration’s handling of appointments.
At 6:35 p.m., a statement signed by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga announced a second five-year term for Dankaka, alongside the appointment of Mohammed Musa as secretary of the Commission and a list of state commissioners.
Kayode Oladele, from Ogun State, was retained as commissioner after serving as acting chair following the expiration of Dankaka’s first term.
By 10:44 p.m., however, the presidency issued another statement “superseding the earlier one,” naming Omidiran, a former member of the House of Representatives from Osun State, as FCC chair.
The rest of the appointee list remained unchanged except for the inclusion of Abdulwasiu Kayode Bawalla as Lagos commissioner.
The reversal ended Dankaka’s tenure, which had been marked by controversy.
In the early hours of Tuesday, August 12, 2025, apparently unaware of the change, the Emir of Ilorin, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, publicly congratulated Dankaka on her “reappointment” and praised her “excellent performance” — a message rendered obsolete by the president’s U-turn.
The FCC is tasked with ensuring equitable representation in federal appointments and resource allocation, a politically sensitive responsibility in Nigeria’s multi-ethnic federation.
